Doll's message for the August issue

I’m an athlete and ran 100m, relay, 200m (when pushed), 100m hurdles and did high jump, long jump and triple jump. I played tennis, lacrosse and was honorary netball captain. I love speed and being competitive is in my nature. However, many women I know (and quite a few of our writers) did not enjoy sports at school and do not have a keen interest in adulthood. What about you? What was your experience of sports growing up? In our June issue, columnist Cathy Madavan wrote about how the outdoors wasn’t just a playground for boys but for girls too, asserting that both should be encouraged to play in that way. As the Paris 2024 Olympics kick off, I wonder if part of the reluctance towards sports is due to a lack of exposure, support or encouragement.

As a tall, leggy child, my body lent itself well to athletics, so I felt pretty traumatised when my boobs started growing and, without hefty support, I wasn’t as free to run and jump as I pleased. My mother is a keen, strong swimmer and it was one of many activities she enrolled me and my siblings in. When my period arrived in my mid-teens, the idea of being ‘caught out’ in the pool was terrifying and the older I got, the more I noticed how many of us opted out of PE classes where swimming was involved.

Being unequipped to do the things you love is hard enough but the idea that you might not even attempt certain things because of aforementioned, and other, barriers just feels unfair. Having said that, we are women and, sadly, perhaps an unjust world is one we are used to living in and navigating. 

We’ve shared the stories and examples of both sporting and non-sporting women in this issue, all of which are incredibly inspiring and honest. I would love to know what you think! 

Love and blessings,

Editor + Creative Director

Doll

In our Life Lessons story this issue, Lieutenant Colonel Jan Ransom says being single and childfree has enabled her to live an incredible life of adventure. This season, I recorded a podcast episode with the title ‘Called to be childfree’, with two women who have considered that having children might not be in God’s plan for their lives. 

The Woman Alive podcast is available on Premier.Plus, Spotify and Apple podcasts. Please do rate and review the podcast and share it with friends who might want to listen too.