I chose to be a Fit Woman

The stone that the builder rejects, becomes the head corner stone. From primary, Emely started doing sports, not because she enjoyed or loved it at that time but because she was chubby and her friends were skinnier than her which made her an easy target for them to make fun of. She said: “I started doing sport when I was in grade 3 but back then I couldn’t make provincials because I used to be chubby and that prevented me to excel in any sport that I played.”

Although that was a bummer for her it was also a stepping stone into greater things because when she got to high school she started pulling her weight and became serious about her craft, which was athletics back then. She received a scholarship for athletics when she was doing grade 10. She said: “I started being serious with sport in grade 8, when I got to high school. I did my grade 9 but when I was in mid-year of my grade 10, I got a scholarship for athletics to go to another school which was ….. From there I did my athletics until matric.”

We are told each and every day that we live in an equal democratic country but actions differ. Same goes for sport women and men. Women are still treated as if they are fragile vases that are only supposed to do less muscle consuming things than men and that needs to change, not only verbally but through actions too. Emely said: “I told myself that I can be a lady while muscular, I can be feminine and masculine at the same time and that doesn’t mean I’m muscular inside. I still cook and do all the other things that women do but I chose to be a fit woman too.” She also said she believes that if people would remove the gender issue and see everyone as people and treat them the same, everything would be well and the world would be a very friendly and a better place.

#art