QLFC : Round 9
Position : Seeker
Team : Kenmare Kestrels
Prompt : Ginny
Word count : 1000
"SHOW HER SHE CAN"
By Ginny Potter
Dear Readers,
As you know, I'm a former Quidditch player myself. As a woman, this journey was not exempt of obstacles in my path. It always is, when you want to make it big in this field. But what truly bothered me was that these issues were regarding my sex. This is why helping to change attitudes in sport has always been something very close to my heart.
Today, on Tuesday 10 June, "SHOW HER SHE CAN", the new anti-sexism sports campaign I created in collaboration with the Holyhead Harpies was finally launched. To be honest, the Gazette wanted to interview me formally alongside Gwenog Jones, but in the end I decided to write an article myself and give you a slightly more personal account of the adventure that this campaign represents. With "SHOW HER SHE CAN", we hope to show all women that they can do whatever they want. After all, if, when I was younger, I had not seen Gwenog at the top of her game, I would not be here now! This is why I believe it is my turn to set an example, with her guidance and her help.
Where does this idea come from?
We live in a society that has no doubts about women's magical abilities. A person's sex and gender have nothing to do with their powers. But why is not this accepted when it comes to sport? Gwenog and I have experienced it ourselves. I could tell you all about how my brothers used to forbid me from flying because I'm a girl. I could tell you about the teasing my teammates and I encountered at Hogwarts because others believed we did not belong on the pitch. I'm pretty sure any women in your circle could tell you some story of the same kind. Of course, we showed them they were wrong. But it was exhausting. We always had to prove ourselves, again and again. It should not have been the case.
That is why we have decided to do what we can, in our own way, firstly to raise awareness but also to implement changes. For instance, did you know that 30% of the women we surveyed had already been the target of or witnessed sexist comments or gestures during their sports activities, with this proportion rising to 53% among Hogwarts students? These numbers reflect the fact that sexism and sexual harassment are also a in sport, whether in the professional or amateur world. Women have been saying it for years, but no one listens. We decided to speak louder. I refuse to do nothing to change the world my daughter and my nieces will grow up in.
What does the campaign entail in concrete terms? Well, we plan to take action on several fronts.
Firstly, we have set up an association, Sports for HER, which will work alongside the programme. From today, you can apply to join our association. If you're over 17, have finished school and are passionate about Quidditch, there is no reason why you should not be accepted. The aim of this programme is not to recruit future professional players. Above all, we want to give you a boost in your daily practice of the sport. By joining the association, you'll have the opportunity to train with other women and learn from each other. The aim is to build your confidence and remind you that sports, and by extension Quidditch, is also a field where you belong. Joining the association will not require you to make any financial contribution. By creating this association, we aim to create a network for women in sports. We want a safe space for all women.
For the female students still at Hogwarts who want to pursue a career in Quidditch, we have got something very special planned for you. It is not all finalised yet, but here's what I can tell you... Over the years, we have learnt that most teams focus on the male players when they come to the matches. In saying that, I am not trying to make women out to be victims. It is simply a fact. The scouts I met when I was a student made that clear to me, and even though I had other offers, that is why I decided to play for the Harpies. Still, women should not have to rely on the only women's team in the league. They should have the chance to be accepted everywhere. To make things fairer, we are currently working with the other Quidditch teams. We want to create a Quidditch camp for all potential players, male and female, where they will be assessed and observed for two to three weeks during the summer holidays. This will force the scouts to pay attention to everyone without exception. We cannot guarantee that they will look at you without preconceived ideas, but at least it will put you in a better light.
Finally, we will be publishing a newsletter every week. The aim of this newsletter will be to talk about the various issues surrounding women in sport, to raise awareness of the many problems that are still too often ignored in this sector, and also to highlight the experiences of different women. This will take the form of both personal stories and interviews. For the time being, it will be written by me, but we will eventually be recruiting other writers. Keep an eye out!
As you can see, this project is still a work in progress. It has not been easy to start such a project, but I trust that it will continue to flourish, with the help of all of you. If you have any ideas, are interested in partnering with us or sponsoring us, don't hesitate to contact us. I firmly believe that we can make this world a better place and that "SHOW HER SHE CAN" will be a marvellous adventure for all of us.
Ginny Potter.