2021-22 Russian Women's Figure Skating

[Minz]

I don’t think much of anything is going to be “normal” this season. We are entering uncharted territory which is stretching the limits of what human beings are able to do.

There are going to be surprises, and many unexpected things will happen.

Some things will work out, some won’t.

History will be made.

We just have to roll with what we got, and support all of the athletes who have made it this far.

 

[Minz]

In honor of the new ISU rules, should @flanker rename the thread to Russian Women’s Skating?

 

[flanker]

In honor of the new ISU rules, should @flanker rename the thread to Russian Women’s Skating?

If that's not obligatory then I won't for the upcoming season. The category will be called women from now till the end of the universe (or rather till it will be renamed again because of another inducement reflecting the current zeitgeist), so for one last season I would like to keep the name.

 

[DLong]

If that's not obligatory than I won't for the upcoming season. The category will be called women from now till the end of the universe (or rather till it will be renamed again because of another inducement reflecting the current zeitgeist), so for one last season I would like to keep the name.

I love your reply! This whole ladies to women change is ridiculous in my opinion. Everything has gotten so politically correct that we can't enjoy anything anymore without analyzing everything to the point of insanity.

 

[flanker]

I see it was changed nevertheless without my intervention. Well, I think I rather have to keep my thougts on that for myself.

 

[Minz]

I see it was changed nevertheless without my intervention. Well, I think I rather have to keep my thougts on that for myself.

I believe all of them were changed without intervention. I did the US thread this season and it was just changed. (I didn’t do it)

 

[flanker]

I believe all of them were changed without intervention. I did the US thread this season and it was just changed. (I didn’t do it)

I've noticed (before I cosidered to ask whether you intend to change it in my original reply). Fanfest category was renamed as well. I just wonder whether the russian ladies themselves considered themselves "misrepresented" because of the word.

 

[Minz]

I just wonder whether the russian ladies themselves considered themselves "misrepresented" because of the word.

What exactly do you mean?

 

[flanker]

What exactly do you mean?

Whether they felt bad/down/harrased/achieving bad results/whatever because they are called ladies in english.

 

[Amei]

I've noticed (before I cosidered to ask whether you intend to change it in my original reply). Fanfest category was renamed as well. I just wonder whether the russian ladies themselves considered themselves "misrepresented" because of the word.

I would venture to guess that a solid majority of ladies/women/female skaters could not care less what their discipline is called.

 

[Minz]

I would venture to guess that a solid majority of ladies/women/female skaters could not care less what their discipline is called.

I read somewhere in the news thread about this topic that there isn’t a difference between “ladies” and “women” in Russian. (It’s apparently just “women”)

 

[LiamV426]

I don't get why people are in their feelings about the change from "Ladies" to "Women". Not everything has to be about "Political correctness".

Every other Olympic sport uses "Women" and honestly it never made sense to call the discipline "Ladies" unless you also call the men's event "Gentlemen's Skating".

 

[ruga]

I don't get why people are in their feelings about the change from "Ladies" to "Women". Not everything has to be about "Political correctness".

Every other Olympic sport uses "Women" and honestly it never made sense to call the discipline "Ladies" unless you also call the men's event "Gentlemen's Skating".

Agree, that's what bothered me the most - male and female skaters not being on the same linguistic level. "Man" implies only gender, while "Lady" already implies refinement and even nobility in certain countries. In Russia, as in many countries, this change hasn't affected anything, so it's just a quick bureaucratic tweak, and if it helps the sport appear more progressive, so be it.

 

[Minz]

Every other Olympic sport uses "Women" and honestly it never made sense to call the discipline "Ladies" unless you also call the men's event "Gentlemen's Skating".

I definitely understand that, but there’s actually some interesting history stuff about why the “ladies” were named “ladies” in the other thread about this.

Also, if you look on the Olympic website (and on some Olympic event pages and such) the FS event is called “women”

 

[Dawn825]

Its such an inconsequential change, I too cant understand people being upset about it. Like Liam said, all the other sports use "women". Its not like they've changed it to "males/females" to make a statement about gender as a social construct.

 

[Amei]

Its such an inconsequential change, I too cant understand people being upset about it. Like Liam said, all the other sports use "women". Its not like they've changed it to "males/females" to make a statement about gender as a social construct.

I hope they don't go down the 'social construct' road that's a can of worms that can't be conquered - I've heard people gripe about the use of the term 'female' and 'woman' because 'male'/'man' is part of the word.

There are a lot of things that can be done to change the sport that actually affects its athletes vs. this change which at the end of the day all this is going to be is a change of terminology on official documentation and a PR statement at the beginning of the broadcasts so the ISU can pound their chests that they are modernizing the sport meanwhile the change they are making has miniscule, if any, impact on the athletes and like I said earlier I would venture to guess that most of them (the athletes) could not care less about the change. Its the equivalent of wearing the pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness but not actually donating money/aid to breast cancer research - it makes someone feel good about themselves but does it actually help anyone - no.

 

[karina17]

I don't want to offend or anything, but I've honestly seen so many more people offended by the change to "women" than anyone ever was by the word "ladies"...if it really doesn't matter, then why gripe about the change so much?

At least this way it matches every other Olympic sport. It makes more sense. Some people just love to complain about "political correctness" and people getting "offended". Okay, but somehow you're offended by the word "women"? Make it make sense.

 

[Mathman]

If I remember my Olympic history, originally the Olympic Games were for "ladies and gentlemen" of the noble or leisure class. That was why amateurism was so heavily prized -- anyone of the class that has to earn money (instead of having money) -- well, we can't have them rubbing elbows with the upper crust, now can we.

I think that "Ladies" is a relic of a long-gone era (although, I confess that in my daily life I almost always refer to woman as "ladies." Decades ago I was taught that this was chivalrous -- and you can't teach an old dog new tricks.)

 

[Amei]

I don't want to offend or anything, but I've honestly seen so many more people offended by the change to "women" than anyone ever was by the word "ladies"...if it really doesn't matter, then why gripe about the change so much?

At least this way it matches every other Olympic sport. It makes more sense. Some people just love to complain about "political correctness" and people getting "offended". Okay, but somehow you're offended by the word "women"? Make it make sense.

Please see post #1100 for at least my explanation on my feelings toward the change, mainly the second paragraph

I hope they don't go down the 'social construct' road that's a can of worms that can't be conquered - I've heard people gripe about the use of the term 'female' and 'woman' because 'male'/'man' is part of the word.

There are a lot of things that can be done to change the sport that actually affects its athletes vs. this change which at the end of the day all this is going to be is a change of terminology on official documentation and a PR statement at the beginning of the broadcasts so the ISU can pound their chests that they are modernizing the sport meanwhile the change they are making has miniscule, if any, impact on the athletes and like I said earlier I would venture to guess that most of them (the athletes) could not care less about the change. Its the equivalent of wearing the pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness but not actually donating money/aid to breast cancer research - it makes someone feel good about themselves but does it actually help anyone - no.

 

[Novalis]

I hope they don't go down the 'social construct' road that's a can of worms that can't be conquered - I've heard people gripe about the use of the term 'female' and 'woman' because 'male'/'man' is part of the word.

They're probably going to change it again to "womxn" in about 3 or 4 years. All joking aside (or is it even a joke), "women" feels particularly strange here, since we'll mostly talk about 12 to 17 year old girls.