Misogyny in ice hockey
Misogyny in hockey includes sexism, homophobia, and institutional neglect.
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Misogyny in ice hockey encompasses issues related to sexism and male chauvinism, and has been extensively discussed in both media and academia. The social aspect of the sport supports issues related to misogyny, homophobia, xenophobia, and heteronormativity, with many women in the sport increasingly speaking out about its extent and negative impact.
Quick Facts
- First organized womens team
- Queen's University
- Kingston
- Ontario
- late 1800s
- Ncaa womens hockey sanctioned
- 2001
- Sweden womens team strike
- August 2019
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The first recorded organized women's team, the Love-Me-Littles at Queen's University, was shunned by the community after the school's archbishop declared young women should not play hockey. During World War I, women's hockey grew, with star player Albertine Lapensée routinely accused of being a man; she left after asking for a share of profits.
After the war, investment and media coverage disappeared, and in 1923 the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association voted not to give women official recognition. In the United States, the sport declined by the mid-1920s amid post-war backlash against women's rights, with arguments that professional sports were dangerous to women's morals and arena owners shifting promotion toward masculine 'blood and mayhem.' During the Great Depression, the Ladies Ontario Hockey Association declined due to competition for ice time, and the Preston Rivulettes folded as World War II hit, as men's leagues were deemed morale boosters. Abby Hoffman, born 1947, played in an Ontario boys' league with her sex concealed; when discovered, people were incredulous that a girl would want to play.
Reader's Guide
Misogyny as a persistent force shaping women's hockey from its origins. Early teams faced community shunning and accusations of impropriety, such as the Montreal Star campaign claiming women on a proposed tour would lose their virtue. Institutional neglect continued through the 20th century: national associations ignored the women's game, imposed differing local rules, and provided no support systems. Fran Rider noted that progress was 'in spite of discouragement by male hockey.' The 1990 IIHF Women's World Championship suffered from lack of financial support, last-minute venue selection, and priority given to junior men's ice time.
In the 21st century, the US women's team struck in 2017 after USA Hockey spent $3.5 million on boys' development but nothing on girls'. In 2026, a men's team celebration with President Donald Trump included a joke about inviting the women's team, prompting online discussions about sexism; women's captain Hilary Knight called it a 'distasteful joke' that overshadowed women's success. Sweden's IF Sundsvall Hockey cut its top-level women's team to save money for its third-tier men's side, and the Swedish women's national team struck in 2019 over poor conditions. After the Canadian Women's Hockey League collapsed in 2019, over 200 players sat out to seek greater investment, forming the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is misogyny in ice hockey?
It refers to the systemic sexism, male chauvinism, and institutional neglect that women have long faced within the sport, often intertwined with homophobia and heteronormativity. In recent years, players and advocates have spoken out more openly about how deeply these attitudes are embedded in hockey's social culture.
Why did the US women's hockey team announce a strike in 2017?
In March 2017, the US women's national team publicly announced a planned strike to press for fair pay and better treatment from USA Hockey. The action was part of a wider push by players to confront the institutional neglect they had endured for years.
When did women's hockey become an Olympic sport?
Women's ice hockey was first added to the Winter Olympic program in 1998. That milestone came roughly a century after the sport's earliest organized women's play, underscoring how long it took for the game to gain mainstream recognition.
What issues beyond sexism do women in hockey deal with?
The social environment of the sport has also been criticized for fostering homophobia, xenophobia, and rigid heteronormativity. Many women in the game have highlighted how these overlapping forms of discrimination compound the challenges they face on and off the ice.
More in Women's Ice Hockey
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Misogyny in ice hockey (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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