The Rhinos, who receive no reward other than to play the game they love, went undefeated. This scrappy bunch also has a social conscience. Some of these brave lasses posed semi-nude for a 2006 calendar to challenge the way people think about women playing a traditionally male-dominated sport. They even wrote a mission statement for the rugby calendar which reads in part:“In a society that brands female competitive sports athletes as masculine, this calendar parodies the standard beauty myth, by juxtaposing the concept of the seductive and submissive pinup with images of women who assert themselves not only as strong athletes, but also as empowered women.”
This calendar is really well done. The photos, taken by Anna Beeke, are excellent. Each one has something to do with rugby and has a message and a humorous caption. See sample pictures from the calendar and other team photos.
To order, and you’ll be glad you did, click here. All proceeds go to support the team.
Finishing second, are the Cork Rebels who won their second consecutive All Ireland Hurling championship. The Rebs would have probably finish first if they’d had the gumption to pose nude for a good cause. The lasses of the Cork Camogie team also won the All Ireland championship. Maybe they’ll take on the cause next year.
Third are the Texas Longhorns who won the American college football title. Their last undisputed championship was in 1969 with an all white team. They added a black player the next year, but everyone assumed, there would never be a black quarterback. Well, guess what?
7 comments:
A couple of years ago, a camogie team was photographed semi-nude. I thought it was Cork. I don't remember the details.
Ah, young warrior women. Go Girls!
But you Jerry Lee, I mean Virgil, we've warned you.
Anonymous 1:
I think they were on the Cork team too, but I'm not sure they knew that they were being photographed.
Anonymous 2:
The warning is not forgotten. These great balls of fire are only for women their mothers' ages.
As a proud (?) parent of a Rhino, I can only say that you just never know what your babies will grow up and do. Or who will hear about it. Or what they'll say about it once they hear (or see) it.
I'm sure the Rhino's appreciate the support. And I'm sure that when they made the calendar they didn't exactly anticipate the breadth of publicity they have received (an extra lesson to be learned here about strutting your stuff in public).
The team has no coach and is self-supporting so the money will go for gear, etc. Still, I think they might have had a bake sale.
Anonymous 2:
You dina need to worry about Virgil. According to what his missus tells Nanny, he's no longer a threat to a woman of any age.
Ms. Wood-Kraft:
Nanny also said that Virgil has a niece on the team (might that be your daughter?) and that the voting was fixed. I couldn't help but notice that no teams from Scotland were mentioned.
Still, fixed or not, ye should be proud of the lasses. Anyone can do a bake sale. It takes the courage of a Scot to push the envelope (prison) and take on society's mores. That they are not ashamed of their bodies, is to their credit and to yours for rearing such a wonderful daughter.
Angus:
I know why you got kicked out of cub scouts, but I'll not broadcast it to the world. Do you still eat brownies?
I have met one of the women on the team, and I've met Ms. Wood-Kraft who is a close friend of my cousin Jim. I had nothing to do with the vote and was not even on the selection committee. I simply reported the outcome My guess is that that they couldn't find 11-15 Scots who could get along with each other long enough to compete as a team for a full season.
I do agree with your praise for the team. I'm proud of them. It takes guts to stand up to centuries of the misogynist traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Who knows? These young women may even decide not to mutilate the genitals of their young children (male or female) which is still in fashion in "polite" society.
Virgil is dangerous whether those great balls of fire have turned to ashes or not. One glance at his gorgeous white bum will drive any woman of any age wild.
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