While the men’s hockey team got a congratulatory call, the women’s team got a punchline. “I must tell you, we’re gonna have to bring the women’s team. I do believe I would
probably be impeached.” That joke from President Donald Trump after calling the U.S. men’s hockey team wasn’t funny – it was a reminder how little women’s achievements are taken seriously. This remark, followed by full belly laughs from the men’s team, reflects a pattern that has long since plagued Olympic sports, where female athletes constantly receive less recognition and diminished visibility.
The same men who have not won a gold medal since 1980 laughed about inviting the
women’s team that has won a medal every year since the sport was introduced. Yet that laughter is more than just laughing at a joke that was not funny, it was making our mere existence into a punchline – a punchline that underscores a pattern in which women’s achievements are minimized, even when we consistently outperform men. These Olympics alone women own 21 out of the 33 medals awarded to the U.S. The laughter from the men’s team and the joke from the literal president of the United States, are just the most recent reminders that in Olympic sports (and sports culture in general) women are still fighting for the recognition they have long earned.
Much of this sexism and misogyny stems from longstanding cultural norms that associate
athletic talent with masculinity. In sports like hockey, success is often seen through a lens of toughness, aggression, and dominance – traits stereotypically associated with men. Women who excel in these same fields challenge those stereotypes. Men’s success is upheld as the standard, and acknowledging women’s superiority threatens that traditional hierarchy. Across the Olympic stage, female athletes face the same challenges – whether it’s in swimming, soccer, basketball, track and field.
At the 2024 Summer Olympics; Algerian boxer Imane Khelif won the gold medal in the
women’s welterweight division. It was supposed to be one of the greatest days of her life, instead she faced a flood of online harassment and false gender-based attacks. Many targeted her with sexist and racist commentary simply for competing and succeeding at the highest level. Khelif’s experience is far from unique. Female athletes, especially women of color, often face scrutiny and hostility, even when their performances are perfect.
While male athletes are celebrated for their victories, women are often ridiculed and
subjected to personal attacks. Our success alone is not enough to earn respect or recognition in sports. We have to be good but not good enough to threaten the fragile egos and outdated perceptions that male athletes are inherently superior. No matter what we do and how much we achieve as women, we will always be reduced down to our gender.
We have to be good but not too good. We have to excel but not threaten. The time for
silent applause and half-celebrated victories is over. Women athletes deserve their place in the spotlight, recognized fully, and a world where success isn’t limited by a man. Women win, break records, and dominate – yet every victory still demands respect in a world that refuses to celebrate them fully.