SEXISM, CANADIANA, AND REALITY TV
I like you, CBC Radio, I really do. I even like CBC Television News. However, I'm getting tired of hearing numerous stories and ads for CBC Television's latest reality show, Battle of the Blades.
Right from the premise, this show bothers me. What's the idea? Well, small, fragile, female retired figure skaters show big, dumb, manly hockey players how to skate 'properly'. I'm sorry, can we get any more stereotypical? There's no lack of female professional hockey players OR male figure skaters in Canada, yet I don't see them included here.
So we have the big tough, sports hero, paradigm of masculinity men that we are meant to watch stumble around on the ice - but wait, who can help them? The dainty, tiny, graceful figure skater. A woman knows exactly how to be graceful! In the end, he still won't skate as well as she does, but that is either her fault or just a fact that he is too macho to flirt with such fragile movements.
Although they're in pairs, this show is playing up the eternal 'Battle of the Sexes' story that we are all tired of.
This image is t striking - the men are standing with their arms closed, independent, or physically HOLDING the women, controlling them. The women, in contrast, are sexualized for the most part, with arms flung onto their partners, depending on the men for support.
Personally, I hope this is one of the shows that will not be renewed for a second season. And can we stop with Canada meaning we all love all winter sports?
This is all very true.
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