Even with all the negative talk, she put her best effort into winning her sport. In some ways women were as against her taking this risk as the men were. People knew what an athlete looked like. They had seen pictures of her fellow countrymen as they had competed for medals. They didn't have to wear the silly costume.
What was she trying to prove?
Charlotte Cooper was the first woman to win an individual Olympic gold medal. She probably had a lot in common with the Muslim women who competed in the 2012 Olympics. She had to wear clothes that restricted her movement and covered her body. She competed in a time when people thought that she was ruining her body by exercising too much and risking not giving birth to children.I wonder how many women shook their heads and clucked their tongues at the thought of Ms. Cooper running around hitting a little ball. AND I wonder how many little girls took notice of what Charlotte Cooper was doing and had hope that one day they too could be Olympians.
Some people have criticized the Muslim women who competed this year in the Olympics. Some have said they are token women who aren't really able to compete. But I have to believe that somewhere young girls who never thought they would have a chance to be in the Olympics are thinking, "If these women could do it, so can I." This response is why these women are role models.
