At last night’s State of the Union address, the gold medal-winning U.S. men’s national hockey team entered the House gallery to cheers and chants of “USA!” President Trump awarded Team USA goalie Connor Hellebuyck the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Trump told the world that the team was an example of how the U.S. is “winning again.” “Here with us tonight is a group of winners who just made the entire nation proud,” he said.
So who wasn’t there in Washington? The U.S. women’s national hockey team, who also won gold. You may have seen videos floating around on social media about a brewing controversy. FBI Director Kash Patel was in the locker room with the men’s hockey team on Sunday after they won the team’s first gold since the “Miracle on Ice” game 46 years ago, where he got Trump on the phone. Trump was heard saying, “We’ll do the White House…we’ll just have some fun, we have medals for you guys. And we have to, I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that?” while the men’s hockey players laugh. Trump said he “would probably get impeached” if he didn’t invite the women’s team too.
The entire incident has stoked outrage and disbelief. American fans of female Olympic athletes, who cheered for the men’s hockey team alongside the women, regretted extending their support. They pointed out that Ellen Hughes, the mother of men’s hockey stars Jack and Quinn Hughes, is a player development consultant for the women’s team. They wondered how other moms—who invested their lives in their sons’ hockey careers—felt watching the team laugh at the victorious women’s team’s expense.
Jack Hughes, the star player, said that the social media outrage was overblown. In reality, the men’s and women’s teams are “tight.” “Everyone in [the women’s team] locker room knows how much we support them, how proud we are of them,” he said. His mom Ellen Hughes of USA women’s hockey called into the Today show, where she also tried to dispel the anger toward the men. “If you could see what we see from the inside,” she said, citing camaraderie and sharing dorms.
If the men’s and women’s teams are close behind the scenes, that’s fantastic for them. But it’s not the only thing that matters. To support their fellow Olympic athletes, how the men’s players show up when the women aren’t in the room matters too. Their laughter at Trump’s line about inviting the women wasn’t just a polite giggle—it was a raucous locker room celebration. Those who call this whole thing overblown say that the men were just celebrating after winning a gold medal, and what’s the big deal? But the women had just won gold too—and they deserve better than their friends and Team USA teammates making light of that, no matter how powerful the person who started it.
The women’s team was indeed invited to Washington too—but they declined the invitation, citing prior commitments. They have plenty of other invitations lined up; Flavor Flav invited them to a “real celebration” in Las Vegas.
But there’s more we can do than offer a White House alternative. My favorite response to this whole episode came from the women’s sports brand Togethxr, which makes the viral “Everyone Watches Women’s Sports” t-shirt. Yesterday, they came out with a new one: “Everyone Watches Women’s Hockey.” And it’s that simple. The best way to support the women’s players is not just to hype their Olympic win and rag on the men, but to keep watching them play. Hilary Knight (who got engaged in Milan!) plays for the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s Seattle Torrent. The Minnesota Frost have six new gold medalists on their team. PWHL games are streamed on the league’s YouTube channel and some regional sports networks in the U.S. (they have better streaming deals in Canada). Games start again tomorrow.
So tune in. Not just as a show of support—but because it’s fun. And when women’s sports are a cultural movement, it’s impossible to be the butt of the president’s joke.
Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com
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PARTING WORDS
"It’s not a good moment for creativity because it’s not a moment of freedom. The moment is becoming, and fashion is becoming, more and more conservative. You see it in art. You see it in movies. You see it in fashion. So to work today, it’s not easy."
— Miuccia Prada on the state of the fashion industry (and the world)
