Womens Leisure: The Roller Derby - Essay Example

? Women’s Leisure A professional roller derby player is like one of the toughest types of players in the world andis more like a rugby player on ice. A female professional derby player is different from a male player in such a way that a female player is expected to be less aggressive and less rough when playing the sport. However, derby is popularly known as a type of rough contact sport. This is the reason why both male and female players may allow themselves some form of violence, roughness or even cheating strategies if they believe they have to win. At my school, athletes are perceived as physically healthy individuals and ones who are popular among members of the opposite sex. Moreover, the girls’ and boys’ athletic programs are usually perceived as a way for athletes to improve not only their physical health but also their self-esteem and popularity. Personally, I watch men’s professional sports more than women’s, especially basketball as NBA is more exciting to me than WNBA. It is hard to say why but as a man who is into basketball myself, I would usually prefer watching men play sports than women do it. Perhaps, it is the relatively higher level of aggression in men’s professional sports that makes them widely watched compared to women’s. Nevertheless, occasionally I am amazed whenever I see a woman doing a man’s job, especially when professional female athletes get to be really rough on the field, in the court or in the ring. Sports are basically all about competition, and so people are expecting a good and rough fight. This is akin to something that will maintain the adrenalin rush. This is also the same feeling the Romans perhaps once had while watching gladiators kill each other at the bottom of the Colosseum more than two thousand years ago. When it comes to the movie Whip It, Bliss seems to show doubt about trying out for the derby team because she herself is an indecisive woman with no idea about what the future would bring her. Moreover, she does not believe her mother Brooke would be proud of her if she played derby. Brooke wants her to be a beauty contestant like her in the past. Moreover, Bliss may be hesitant at attempting to do derby. This is because she knew that in order to be a professional derby player, one has to be extra tough although one is female. She may have observed this since the first time she saw the Hurl Scouts and Holly Rollers played. Bliss and Brooke are very different from each other when it comes to leisure and recreation. Brooke likes shopping and is into beauty contests and other activities that bring out the refined woman in her. She views herself as usually right in her decisions, opinions and perspectives. Nevertheless, she shows her humility and love as a mother. This is evident when she tells Bliss that the latter need not join the Blue Bonnet pageant if she is only doing it for her mother. On the other hand, Bliss is into professional derby, men like Oliver, and something that will bring out the best in her. Bliss’ desire to bring out the best in her somehow translates as a desire to join the hurl Scouts and defeat the Holy Rollers. Little does she know that it is one way for her to prove her own worth to herself. In the process, she also indirectly proves to her mother that she can make decisions of her own. Nevertheless, at several instances in the movie, Bliss does not feel that she is making the right decisions. Thus, compared to her mother, who is righteous most of the time, Bliss shows some indecisiveness. Furthermore, perhaps this is the same way Bliss views herself at the beginning of the movie – a young woman with no direction. This view, however, changes in the end as her mother accepts her decision to be on the professional derby team. This is also the point where Bliss realizes her calling (Barrymore). The way I see it, Brooke is just the strict, conservative mother that mothers are supposed to be. On the other hand, Bliss is the picture of an ordinary girl who defies her own parents’ expectations of her in order to find her true passion in life. The sharp contrast between Bliss’ and Brooke’s qualities somehow amplifies their roles in the movie. Bliss’ participation in the roller derby somehow cost her the relationship she has had with Oliver. It also almost cost her Pash’s friendship as well as her relationship with Brooke. However, in the end, Bliss is vindicated as Oliver proves to be unworthy of her love, Pash forgives her, and Brooke accepts her and her passion (Barrymore). Nevertheless, she risks losing all of these things in order to discover her true passion. In my case, my choices for leisure like working out and playing basketball have been influenced by my friends and my own desire to look much better than what I am now. I believe it is every man’s instinct to look good and I am just properly responding to the instincts of my nature. So far, since I am a balanced individual, then I do not leave out anything in my life despite my workouts and basketball. However, if there is one thing that these leisure choices of mine have cost me, then it must be the time I spend with some friends who drink out and party all night long. They are nice people to me but sometimes they feel bad if they think that I am working out instead of drinking out with them. Perhaps, it makes them feel that I consider them a bad influence to me. The truth is that they are so nice to me and I would never hesitate drinking out with them if I have time. However, I have strict discipline with my workout schedule and basketball games. Nevertheless, I believe my job in this world is to find my true passion and what makes me happy, and not what I should do to please everyone. Besides, I believe that true friends, like Pash in Whip It, will always be there to understand you and to accept you for what you are. Top of Form Bottom of Form Works Cited Barrymore, Drew (Director). Whip It. 2009. Megashare. 4 June 2013. Film. Read More