#iamenough

I have recently been a little bit absent from my blog, for no other reason than being super busy but in my world, there has been one issue which has caused me to sit and write for a little bit because I think it is a poor show from a major company. 

As I have said, I am a female rugby player. I am incredibly proud of being a female rugby player. 

Recently, as you may or may not know, Canterbury released the new Ireland Rugby kit, during the kit launch they used male rugby players to show off the new kits but chose to use female models to model the womens kits, not any of the women’s players. When they were called out on it, there was a selection of people who made comments along the lines of female rugby players not being “feminine enough” or “beautiful enough” to model the kit. This is simply disgusting. 

While it may seem like a minor thing for many people, it is horrendous to judge a large group of very difficult people on such a narrow minded view. 

Rugby has honestly at points been a saviour for me, with my physical and my mental health. 

I do not see myself as someone who is beautiful or anything like that, I am certainly no model, however I have played with ladies who are very pretty but in fact, that is beside the point. Women should have the right to model their own kit, this is about equality as well as sexism in sport. 

Women are frequently not treated well in sport, almost all womens sports players will have gone through some form of sexist behaviour whether its sexist comments or being told that they can play on the seconds pitch at the club, despite being a first team (just a note, this is not something Wymondham have ever done). 

I am a supporter of the #iamenough campaign. This is a campaign for women who play sport of any sort to stand and say that they are enough. 

I am feminine 

I am strong

I am powerful

I am beautiful 

I am an athlete

I am the best model for my kit

I am a rugby player

I am enough.

Rugby is one of the reasons that after I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis I got back to physical exercise. Rugby has helped me a number of times in my life, but it has been one of my main support system when I feel at my worst with my diagnosis. 

Women’s Rugby is important to so many people. Women’s Rugby players are amazing. I am proud to be a female rugby player and I am proud to be a part of Wymondham Wasps Womens Rugby Team.