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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
went on vacation and lost momentum BUT the first half or so is very good
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexism
VERY GOOD and I need to go back and finish someday
adventurous
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Look, what I know about football you could fit into a thimble, truly. In terms of women's football, I only knew of the lingerie league because it was heavily advertised while I was a closeted teen and I secretly sat up and paid intense attention to those ads. As an adult, I've heard rumors of the NWFL but not much else.. I care deeply about women's history, ESPECIALLY queer women's history and knew there had to be more.
I also LOVE reading non-fiction books about worlds I know nothing of. This one was fascinating (even if rundowns of games and scoring made my head spin but if you know football it won't do that to you), and still I cried at the end. Women are just VERY COOL when they are doing things society didn't expect and it was worth some tears as they recounted it all.
There's a lot to sit with - male team owners, ahem, fumbling the ball versus women who just wanted to play, a press that wanted the NWFL to be something different than it was, a history of tense rivalries and so much more. I took my time with it- about two weeks which is a long time for me for a pleasure read. It was definitely worth the time. I'm glad I really took it in and learned some stuff.
And yeah. I'm very grateful for the voices of queer, non-binary writers. I don't think it would've had the impact it did otherwise, and it certainly would not have on me. Do recommend for football fans who lean feminist, queer and/or allied, and recommend for most people who fall into those politicized categories if not the football Fandom.
I also LOVE reading non-fiction books about worlds I know nothing of. This one was fascinating (even if rundowns of games and scoring made my head spin but if you know football it won't do that to you), and still I cried at the end. Women are just VERY COOL when they are doing things society didn't expect and it was worth some tears as they recounted it all.
There's a lot to sit with - male team owners, ahem, fumbling the ball versus women who just wanted to play, a press that wanted the NWFL to be something different than it was, a history of tense rivalries and so much more. I took my time with it- about two weeks which is a long time for me for a pleasure read. It was definitely worth the time. I'm glad I really took it in and learned some stuff.
And yeah. I'm very grateful for the voices of queer, non-binary writers. I don't think it would've had the impact it did otherwise, and it certainly would not have on me. Do recommend for football fans who lean feminist, queer and/or allied, and recommend for most people who fall into those politicized categories if not the football Fandom.
This was really interesting, I just couldn't follow it that well because I don't know anything about football
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
I loved learning about a piece of feminist/lgbt/sports history I did not know about. My one criticism is that de la Cretaz comes from the online confession/article world, and her writing reflects that.
I loved learning about a piece of feminist/lgbt/sports history I did not know about. My one criticism is that de la Cretaz comes from the online confession/article world, and her writing reflects that.
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Hail Mary welcomes readers to 1970s-80s women's football in the NWFL. We find ourselves in an era fresh with Title IX when many women hadn't experienced organized, athletic opportunities in school, and if they did, it certainly wasn't football, that hypermasculine ideal of tackling, getting down in the dirt, and sometimes bleeding for the game. The book tells the story of fiercely passionate athletes who loved their game despite the many pitfalls and structural disadvantages facing their teams and league at large.
The reporting here features commentary on society: gender roles, race, queerness, and class. The athletes were largely working-class women from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds and with a large contingent of queer women (on the Dallas team, some teammates decided to try out while at a lesbian bar together). The book is also a celebration of these women as professional football players. Their colorful personalities come through in their personal accounts as well as their pride in their on-field accomplishments.
The authors strike a good balance between descriptive content and analysis. They cover how contemporary journalists treated the women and how the team owners tried to entice the public. The players' stories have often been told through the male lens, focused on entertainment value or as a heart-warming story rather than a sporting event worth discussing on its athletic merits. There was a lot of focus on the women's looks, whether it was to hypersexualize and demean, make fatphobic remarks, or to lob broad homophobic comments at women who didn't fit the feminine ideal (arguably all the players, since they dared to play professional football).
Other hurdles were the gendered disparities in equipment available, venues for practice & play, and the complete lack of salary (the standard rate was only $25 a game to begin with) for some players as well as owners who wouldn't always pay medical insurance. The authors also delve into the many reasons the league fell apart, including finances and the nature of sports fandom-- the NWFL didn't get enough time to establish fan support and to see financial dividends.
Other hurdles were the gendered disparities in equipment available, venues for practice & play, and the complete lack of salary (the standard rate was only $25 a game to begin with) for some players as well as owners who wouldn't always pay medical insurance. The authors also delve into the many reasons the league fell apart, including finances and the nature of sports fandom-- the NWFL didn't get enough time to establish fan support and to see financial dividends.
I recommend this for football fans specifically: positions and plays are described that added to my enjoyment but could be frustrating for someone who isn't already familiar with the game or who wouldn't appreciate that degree of detail. For me, it brought some exciting games to life and highlighted the physicality and achievements of these teams.
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced