The triumph of women's football represents a covert feminist revolution.
Perhaps
victory is a dish best served cold, just like retaliation. It was the country's
women who brought home the victory, 56 years after England last won a
significant footballing trophy—a period during which, as May Robson notes,
women were still prohibited from participating in competitive sports.
At
the 2019 Women's World Cup, the women's game had not yet swept the country
three years prior. Women's football now appears to be important. It is
difficult to emphasise the revolution this symbolises, yet it has happened
essentially covertly. The problem is that women who dared to occupy space have
infiltrated football, which is a sport in which men revere the male body and
what it is capable of, as well as a topic of debate that frequently excludes
women. They did not protest or demand inclusion. They toiled away at it for
years, through the embarrassment of watching from the sidelines and being
dismissed as not fascinating or significant enough, and yesterday night they
stormed onto the field.
Women
of a certain age around the nation are already exchanging tales of being denied
the chance to participate, recalling their football-loving great aunt or
grandmother who would have been overjoyed to witness this victory if she were
still living. Isn't it absurd that we weren't allowed to play football at
school, they ask? Football was something we grew up knowing was definitely not
for us. If the circumstances were right, we might be interested in it and be
allowed to play it with our friends, but the major leagues, superstardom, and
adulation were all reserved for guys.
This
victory alters everything for both guys and girls. The thrill of witnessing the
Lionesses' victory and watching both men and women celebrate it is undoubtedly
comparable to witnessing a woman hold elective office for the first time. The
wonderful game is now open to both genders as of last night. My five-year-old
daughter frequently informs me that football is only played by the guys at her
school. But she informed me yesterday that she too wants to play for England as
she celebrated the victory. Girls and boys' perceptions of one another will be
drastically changed if female football players succeed.
Of
course, this isn't the Hollywood film about women's football that has a happy
ending. The sport continues to get chronically insufficient funding and
support. Ian Wright stated during the match on Sunday, "This generation of
females have had to fight and scrap for everything." Prior to the World
Cup the following year, he urged the Premier League to take over the women's
game. Even in women's football, diversity issues persist. Additionally,
"true" football is still played by men, which is another factor. Why
else would the game played by women require a unique designation, lest someone
mistake it for the genuine article? Why not call them Lions instead of
Lionesses, a moniker that borders on patronising?
This
victory cannot by itself bring about gender equality. However, there is
something particularly appetising about the win and the associated dismantling
of gendered norms. The players can be seen dancing and singing around their
manager, Sarina Wiegman, in a video of them celebrating after the game. Their
delight spreads quickly. They radiate a feeling of liberation. And it's not
only an exciting experience. Five weeks after the US Supreme Court limited
women's rights, a football team in England has increased ours as a result of
years of covert labour.