Women know the sport

DAY

Women who work in sports media know what they are talking about. 

They can analyze a game of hockey, football, soccer, tennis .

They can be on the expert panel during late night sports broadcasts.

They can participate in special broadcasts at the trade deadline.

They can ask the best questions in interviews.

They can dig up the truth and beat all the other journalists to be the first to get a story out.

We see, women like that, in the middle. I greet them. But there are still too few of them. 

Every March 8, for International Women's Day, sports journalists have become accustomed to congratulating each other. With good reason: the field of sport remains above all a boys' club. 

Opening the changing rooms

As a woman , to enter it, it was necessary for a long time to show more character, tenacity. Work harder to show our skill. And it still has to be done, sometimes.

I have a ton of respect for these women who, 30, 40 years ago, broke down barriers by opening the doors of sports locker rooms. 

But the battle is not won again. In my eyes, it will be when more women are seated daily alongside men in panelist roles. When more of them go to the field to unearth stories. 

Thank you to the go-getters

I am lucky. Unlike my predecessors, I never had to break down doors to find my place. I am from another generation. Thanks to these great go-getters who have been there before me, I never doubted that I could have a career in sports media. 

Not even at 17, when I was listening to the tennis or hockey in my living room, with the dream of being able to write about it one day.

Okay, maybe the 17-year-old Jessica was a little cocky. She was unaware of all the talent, the passion, the knowledge, but also – and perhaps most importantly – the luck it takes to work in sports media.

And I was lucky. I had bosses who believed in the young woman fresh out of university, stressed in front of them because she wanted that job so badly, that job at the sports desk.

I had some others later (and I still have some) who believed in my work, in my dedication, in my knowledge, and who gave me more responsibilities. 

Never let go

I repeat, therefore, I am lucky. I never thought of myself as a woman doing sports journalism. I always felt like I belonged, no matter my gender.

I know some of my colleagues have experienced sexism. That they have been looked down upon by some stakeholders, that they have been limited to smaller roles by their boss, that they have been ridiculed by colleagues. 

Has this ever happened to me? Without a doubt. At the risk of sounding arrogant again, I don't care. I am journalist. If anyone tries to fool me, he's the worst. Because being a journalist comes with the responsibility of never letting go. 

Keep opening doors

So in addition to congratulating my fellow journalists sports today, I want to invite us and all those who dream of working in this field to keep going, not to let go. 

To show our strength of character by ignoring those who do not believe in us.  

To continue to demonstrate our competence so that we obtain the place we desire.  

Because we've been proving it for decades now: women know the sport.