Is the Blue Jackets "Hockey in Heels" sexist or educational?
On April 3rd, the Columbus Blue Jackets will be hosting "Hockey in Heels", an evening for ladies to actually be feminine and enjoy an evening of hockey. The evening is set to include a cocktail hour, a "Hockey 101" session, a chalk talk with interim Head Coach Claude Noel, and watching the Blue Jackets take on the Washington Capitals. The price tag to attend the session ranges from $49-88, depending on the seating section chosen. Some have argued that the whole concept of "Hockey in Heels" is sexist and insinuates that women know nothing about hockey. Do I agree with this line of thinking? Not exactly.
"Women can go to "Hockey in Heels" and they will get to learn about hockey in a fun environment where they will not feel silly for asking questions on things they may not understand."
Sure, for a woman like myself, "Hockey in Heels" probably wouldn't be very educational (although I do think it would be a fun event to attend). I am, however, not like the majority of women with regards to hockey. There are lots of women who go to hockey games, but I would bet my last dollar that a great number of those women don't have a clue as to what is happening. It's horrible to see when these women actually try to ask the men they're with a question and then men either blow them off or, even worse, tell them incorrect information.
Hockey is a difficult sport to learn if you don't have someone to explain everything to you. Unlike baseball, football, and basketball, hockey is not yet a big part of the American culture. It is not a sport that the general population grows up with a basic understanding of. In addition to that, hockey seems to have a much more complicated set of rules than other sports - at least, that's how I perceive it. That's why I believe this session would actually be very helpful and beneficial to women. Women can go to "Hockey in Heels" and they will get to learn about hockey in a fun environment where they will not feel silly for asking questions on things they may not understand. My only complaint is that this informational session is for women only, because I have overheard some incredibly hilarious conversations of guys trying to explain hockey to people they're with.
I have no issues with "Hockey in Heels". The name sounds a little sexist, but other than that, I don't think the idea is sexist in the least. If anything, the idea isn't sexist because the idea behind is for the women to actually know what is happening in hockey, instead of assuming that the women have no interest in sports because they are women. These people who complained about the event are already knowledgeable hockey fans. The best response I have seen to those who are against this event was from DarkBlueJacket (a great blogger and nice guy) on Twitter. He said "I tend to think that 'Hockey 101' in heels is not directed at the ladies who Tweet more than five times a day about the CBJ." Even if the event isn't targeted toward women like me, I can still applaud the Blue Jackets organization for putting together an event that will educate women on the rules of hockey and hopefully expand the fan base for the franchise.
If you or any women you know are interested in attending "Hockey in Heels", tickets are available here or by calling 614-246-3972.