Is Danica Fever Good for Women?
August 18th, 2006 by Levi MatthewsI don’t know anything about the Indy Racing League. Maybe it takes the potential of facial hair to drive exceptionally well in it. Perhaps you need to burp a lot or possess a tendency to scratch yourself in order to be a success. I wonder about these issues and what it takes to consistently win races in the IRL because of a question that’s been nagging me for the past few weeks:
What exactly is the big deal about Danica Patrick?
As a rookie driver on the circuit, Patrick did pretty well for herself. A fourth place finish in the Indianapolis 500 landed this beauty on the cover of the most prestigious sports magazine in the world. With just seven laps to go, she was the first female driver to ever lead this renowned race. Nevertheless, Patrick has never actually won a start.
If not for her gender, she’d be completely unheard of, just another faceless driver making a lot of left turns in a sport that’s more ignored than professional hockey.
Due to the overwhelming media response of her mere presence in a race, many are left to wonder if this winless woman deserves such attention before she has legitimately made her mark in the league. Not me. Even if Patrick breaks every record in IRL history, my response will remain the same: So what?
Why is it so impressive that a female can drive a race car as quickly as a male can? Are those that are celebrating Patrick’s achievement actually demeaning women everywhere by exhibiting such fervor over the fact that she can compete against the opposite sex?
As long as a woman has access to the same resources as a man does (engines, pit crews, sponsors, etc.), I fail to understand why she cannot be successful. This isn’t a sport that requires brute physical strength, or greater lung capacity, or the need to urinate standing upright. An athletic, viral female such as Patrick needs the same traits as any male counterpart in order to speed into victory lane: drive, determination, talent.
Are these traits that the media and fans across the nation are surprised a woman can actually possess?
You remember Liz Johnson, right? Oh, sorry, you don’t? In November, 2004, this resident of Cheektowaga, New York became the first female to appear in a standard Professional Bowler’s Association event when she qualified for the PBA Uniroyal Classic. She accomplished this feat by averaging a very respectable 230.44 in the qualifying rounds, beating out a handful of testosterone-laden adversaries in the process.
For her accomplishments, Johnson received a one-paragraph blurb in the same magazine that touted Patrick on its cover.
Similar to race car driving, bowling is not a gender-specific activity. Mammary glands do not exactly get in the way. Anyone with passion for the sport can succeed against the top competition, so why has Patrick garnered such vast acclaim while Johnson is completely unheard of? The most obvious answer is superficial - with no disrespect to Ms. Johnson, Patrick is quite easy on the eyes.
Beauty sells, even in opposition to accomplishments (see Kournikova, Anna). Stick a racing suit on an athletic, 100-pound body of a women with long brown hair and a winning smile and prepare the marketing machine.
The other answer speaks more to a stereotype against females; namely, they can’t drive. It’s an age-old joke: Why can’t Helen Keller drive? Because she’s a woman. Whether it’s a valid point or not, the supposed softer gender has a reputation for hesitance and danger on the road. And now - gasp! - someone with ovaries is actually driving really quickly! And really well! Against men! This must be worth hours and hours of coverage and analysis.
The shock and awe regarding Patrick’s feats simply encourages the belief that women are not supposed to be successful in an arena that had previously been dominated by males. Granted, any firsts in sporting history are worth noting - yet I somehow question whether Patrick would stand so firmly in the spotlight if she were simply the first Jamaican man to lead the Indianapolis 500. Or the first person named “Danica.”
These traits are about as arbitrary as one’s gender, a fact that should only be glossed over when discussing what Patrick really is: a very good driver having a very good rookie season.
Patrick isn’t to blame for this outpouring of attention. She’s posed for magazines and agreed to every interview, but these outlets have sought her out. What reason would she have to turn them down, especially as they earn abnormally high ratings for each race that she appears in?
There’s no doubt that she’s good for the IRL, but is Danica delirium good for the image of women in general? If a woman driving impressively causes such a nationwide ruckus, what does that say about society’s view on females and their abilities? Can’t we just take notice of the difference in her cup size from fellow drivers and move on?
Patrick seems willing to: “I am ready to show everyone that I belong here. I believe I’ll show them I can do the job.”
Let’s just give her that chance.
