by Parivash Goff
Illustration by Tatyana Safronova
Begin
When the others gather to play tag and foursquare,
to dress up dolls and masquerade as pirates,
you’ll follow.
But your body will buzz,
long for the touch of the ball.
You’ll dream in black and white sphere,
hunger for the open fields, opponents and goal posts.
“‘It [Brandy Chastain’s sports-bra celebration] was a moment of freedom and liberation, Marlene Bjornsrud, a longtime women’s coach and an influential sports executive, once told me. She called it a ‘casting off the burden of everything that kept us down and said, ‘You can’t do that because you are a woman.’ It was a moment that screamed, ‘Yes, I can.’” 1
First Team
Skeptics.
They’ll question your size
and give you pink uniforms.
In a circle, you’ll learn about the elegance
of a pass, how to cradle it with the side of your foot.
When the games begin, they’ll comment
on how cute you look
in your little uniform.
“The head of women’s soccer [for Brazilian Football], Marco Aurélio Cunha, has publicly evaluated the team’s success on the basis of its physical attractiveness. During the 2015 World Cup, he responded to questions about the team’s progress by stating, “We used to dress the girls as boys. So the team lacked a spirit of elegance, femininity. Now, the shorts are a bit shorter, the hairstyles are more done up…” 2
Train
This is home; manicured green, pristine white lines.
Your lungs are filled by the touch of the ball.
Oxygen bubbles when your shot careens
into the back of the net.
This is fuel; lightning quick touches,
belly full from impossible cuts and fake-outs.
“But like in every other aspect of life, in global soccer the sexism persists. It’s why Real Madrid didn’t agree to take on a women’s club until this year, and the billionaires at Manchester United didn’t start a women’s team until last year. Brazil still doesn’t have a pro league that pays women players enough to live. The longest operating professional women’s professional soccer club in the United States plays at a college field at Rutgers.” 3
Compete
Together, you are better than they are.
Move among them like a swarm of bees,
dodging their silly swats and stabs.
You are many; you are singular.
The goal is a magnet, and your ball is metal.
“‘Our #Lionesses go back to being mothers, partners and daughters today, but they have taken on another title – heroes…:’ This is a screengrab of a now-deleted tweet. Its tone-deafness is staggering. You would never see the @england account issue the parallel message for its men’s team…” 4
Win
But not by too much.
When you do, be sure to still be nice.
How does your hair look?
Do you wear make-up? Are your nails done?
Don’t ask for more. Take what’s given.
Smile.
Smile some more.
Smile
pretty.
“Because sports offer women the potential for reducing physical power imbalances on which patriarchy is founded and reified, one way to limit and deemphasize women’s physical power and capabilities is to associate female athleticism with female sex appeal.” 5
Score
Doesn’t 13 seem like too many?
“‘It has to do with the female apologetic. If women are going to be strong and successful, they need to balance that with also being feminine and nice. If they don’t do that, it makes people uncomfortable,” said Mariah Burton Nelson… ‘They need to temper their strength. And their athleticism. And their fabulousness with this apologetic, `But don’t worry, we’re still subservient and willing to play along in this gender role,’ in order to make people feel comfortable,’ Burton Nelson added.” 6
Parivash Goff
Given free time, Parivash Goff, can be found curled up in a sunny spot voraciously devouring her next favorite read. Her love of books was fostered by her mom when she introduced 10-year-old Parivash to Caddie Woodlawn. Now, Parivash tries her own hand at writing on her personal blog, Two Halves of One. When not reading or writing, Parivash enjoys playing soccer, cooking her favorite Persian dishes and centering herself with some yoga.
Tatyana Safronova
Tatyana Safronova lives in Washington, D.C., where she works at the public library and goes to law school. She is a baker, a hiker, and she loves illustrated children's books. She is also an immigrant who has spent years working with people who are experiencing displacement, poverty, addiction, and discrimination, and reporting their stories as a journalist.
