Dear Listener,
I am back from the annual summer break. Time away from a major project is always restorative and provides a bit of perspective. I think too, some consolidation or reconfiguring of the brain happens when it has more than a few minutes to rest. I’m feeling smarter than I was in late August. During the break I spent great time outside so it was fun to hear Eline talk about that for herself.
All that said, I’m still incredibly happy to be back discovering and talking to such amazing women athletes and listening to their voices over and over as I edit. The line up for the next couple of months is outstanding starting with motocross racer and filmmaker Eline Mets of Ep67 that posted last week. The conversation is stellar. Eline gets into fear, flimsy & low-grade motocross clothing for women (you know I love talking about the lack of quality, proper gear for sporty women!), going big, speaking up for others, and of course riding motorcross and making the pilot for Diaries of Badass Chicks, which is FANTASTIC! PS: She wrote, produced, directed, and starred.
Other Highlights:
1. Film and TV offer opportunities that other media don't. Diaries of Badass Chicks can take motorcross mainstream through fun storytelling and the visual excitement of the sport.
2. Eline fell in love watching this video.
3. I love that Eline just jumped right in. With the help of a teenage coach, she crammed the night before her first race to learn how race starts work.
4. One reason Eline created Dairies of Badass Chicks is because of the inequity she saw while learning and racing. She tells a story of women getting punished for speaking up against promoters. This was hard for me to hear because, way back in in my bike racing days, I was banned by a promoter for speaking up about a dangerous course. Despite the other racers feeling and saying similar things, I felt completely alone when the team director and teammates didn’t stand by me. It was a low moment. I’m buoyed up that Eline is standing up and speaking out as are other women these days like Iris Slappendel who started The Cyclists Alliance. Iris is featured in Ep42. She has been successful, in great part, because like Eline she has nothing to lose. She’s now outside of racing herself.
Stay tuned for soccer, a 70+ triathlete, and a Paralympic 2020 hopeful in upcoming episodes.
It's always great to hear from you, so send your thoughts & ideas via the Contact page.
I read every email.
HOT TAKES FROM THE EPISODE
☄️"But the issues, the inequality, and the female representation that’s universal. And we need to change it, [one] industry at a time."
☄️"I don’t think I love the fear, but I love where it pushes me."
☄️"It’s funny, because as a woman, yeah, I was like, maybe I should keep it smaller. And now, the more that I’m growing into my power, I’m realizing, but why? This is not a small thing."
IF YOU LIKE THIS EPISODE, try these
🎤 Episode 51 with Cecelia Townes. Listen Here. This is the episode Eline referenced about nature and meditation.
🎤 Episode 58 with Jen Gurecki. Listen Here. This is a great discussion about how important proper fitting equipment is and how equipment impacts athletes' longevity in the sport.
🎤 Episode 40 with Blake Cason about meditation and being outside. Listen Here.
🎤 Episode 32 with Anya Alvarez. The future of sports is with girls. Listen Here.
I'M READING NOW
✶ Where Were The Women. After equity in last year's ski film by Matchstick Productions, this year it's all men. After pushback, Matchstick came up with some lame excuses.
✶ Motocross is not the only place where creators are mostly men. (I know, you're shocked.) 77% of TV shows have no women creators.
✶ Searching for foosball women.
🏀🏀🏀⚽️🏀🏀🏀 YES WATCH 🏀🏀🏀⚽️🏀🏀🏀
On Good Morning America, Megan Rapinoe encouraged the people chanting equal pay to watch women's games - local, club, pro, whatever. She's right, of course, watching women's sports makes a huge difference. At a bare minimum, it proves that there is really interest. Over and over we've seen that if it's offered, people watch. Not just women, but all people.
📺📺 HERE'S HOW & WHERE TO WATCH THE FINALS 📺📺
With that, the best-of-five WNBA finals start on Sunday September 29th at 3pm. The basketball has been phenomenal, so tune in. Go to a bar and ask that the games be turned on. If you haven't been following, Connecticut Sun swept the semifinal series against Los Angeles Sparks. For all you Clevelanders, LeBron was at Tuesday's game 4 between Las Vegas Aces and Washington Mystics. The Aces lost that game by 4 points sending the Mystics to the finals.