Girl Power

The ladies had a very good Olympics.

1. 29 of the 46 U.S. gold medals were won by women.  The U.S. team also consisted of more women than men.
2. (By my count) 8 of those golds won by women were in team sports.
3. For the first time in history, every single country represented at the Olympics had at least one woman competing, with Saudi Arabia, Brunei and Qatar sending women for the very first time.
4. 20 of the 38 new world records made at the London Games were broken by women.
5. One of the most watched sports this year was women's beach volleyball.
6. Young women won:  from the U.S., gold medals went to 15- and 17-year-old swimmers, five teenaged gymnasts, and a 17-year-old boxer, to name just a few.

While I'm not trying to shout "Boys drool, girls rule!" from the rooftops here (I am a pretty fierce believer that neither sex is better than the other, we simply have different God-given roles to fill), I do, however, have a few thoughts about what these statistics mean and why I find them so encouraging.

1.  Women are excelling.  Women are expanding into fields they haven't yet conquered.
2.  Women are building up other women.  They are coming together and encouraging each other and making each other stronger.
3.  Women are changing the rules.  It isn't just a Western way of thinking any more that women can and should achieve; this thought can become global.
4.  Women are pushing their limits, and finding out that they can be harder, better, faster, and stronger.
5.  Women are beautiful.  All kinds of women.  A big draw for audiences in person and on television for women's beach volleyball was the bikini uniforms.  But it wasn't Kate Upton in a bikini that people were tuning in to see; it was Kerri Walsh, who is a mother of two.  She's taller than most men, she's a mom, she's in her 30s, she's athletically successful, she's muscular and strong and doesn't wear make-up, and millions of people tuned in to see her win her third Olympic medal wearing that bikini.  I think that's saying something.
6.  Women are inspiring the next generation in a way that gives me hope.  For every Jersey Shore guidette, there is also a Missy Franklin.  For every Teen Mom, there is also a Gabby Douglas.  These girls are visible and positive and worthy of being in the spotlight on their talents and work ethic.  These are the kind of women I want our future daughters to be able to see.

On top of all that, the most visible spectator of the entire games?  Kate Middleton.  Showing enthusiasm, pride, sportsmanship, and passion for sport.

Oh, and also, the Spice Girls crushed it at the Closing Ceremonies.  ("Zig-a-zig-ah" and "Hi C Ya" both loosely translate to "Girl Power," if I remember right).

You go, girls, and you go, world!

images from:  sports illustrated, people, facebook, zap2it, fitsugar, nytimes, nbcnews, the daily mail