A Little Cocky

  With the first week of school under our belts and a chance to embrace the quiet that comes from a few hours of solitude each day, it's time to get back into the swing of my September thru June life. That includes many things I push aside when I can spend more time with my family. But today is week two and I'm determined that this school year I won't waste as much time as I did last year.

  So this morning I used my coffee-fuelled energy to tackle the laundry. Not washing it. Not drying it. But sorting out who owns what and who outgrew what. That is something I have put off for weeks. I'm pretty sure already we will be pants shopping this week. For both kids. As fascinating as this is I am taking a break to talk about something much more interesting.

  While I was sorting I had the news on in the background. Filler noise I call it. And I couldn't help but stop when I heard that commentators are calling Bianca Andrescu "almost cocky". Compared to Serena Williams????  Who in the world of women's tennis could be considered cockier than either Venus or Serena?? Surely not the young Canadian who won the US Open.

  But wait....cockiness? You don't hear that word associated with Andy Murray. Or Nadal. Or Federer. They are called confident, dominant and explosive. Their mental fortitude is emphasized and praised. Their physical awareness and effort congratulated. But they are not called cocky.

  So why is Bianca? Or Serena? Why can't they just be called confident? Or dominant? Why do they bear a burden that doesn't exist in the male world of tennis? Or for that matter sport in general? Isn't excellence gender neutral?

  Worse yet it wasn't just male commentators saying it. Some were even trying to infer that the grunts coming from expending so much brute strength were exaggerated. Unladylike if you will. Never mind these women are at a level of sports you and I can't even dream of, they need to be dainty and meek.

  Well the hell with that! Bianca won against her idol. Imagine her nerves walking down that tunnel. But she pulled up her big girl panties, took a deep breath and got down to business. Every grunt, every "Come on!" was from a professional athlete. One who was on the way to winning a major tournament. Her sex shouldn't have even been a topic.

  It's time women take the word cocky from a derogatory reference and turn it into a billboard for confidence, success, and strength. And Canada's own Bianca Andrescu did just that!

  Time to get back to that laundry. Maybe I'll turn off the tv too.

  Ang