She Talks: sport, sexuality and change

University of Toronto double alumna Michelle Wood isn’t used to being dismissed on the volleyball court. But the former standout Blue athlete and current Acadia University head coach has more than once been mistaken for a player or other staff since taking the reins in 2012. 

“At a recent tournament, an official passed right by me. My male assistant coach was treated as the head coach. I wasn’t even acknowledged,” Wood told the crowd gathered at the recent She Talks event. 

Wood shared the stage with Rosie Cossar, a top Canadian Olympic rhythmic gymnast who has worked with Toronto's 519 Church Street Community Centre on the creation of Pride House Toronto, a resource house for its LGBTQ athletes to be launched for the 2015 Pan American Games. Both athletes discussed their successes and struggles as women in high performance sport.

Cossar, who trained in Russia for years, casts a critical eye on the role that homophobia and narrowly-defined views of femininity and masculinity play in gymnastics culture. 

“I remember laughing at things that now when I think about it, was me only going along with the crowd. I’m working towards changing the view of sexuality in my sport,” she said. 

Cossar has been open about her own sexual identity for years, but says coming out in her sport was especially difficult. Cossar’s talent as an athlete helped to give her the confidence she needed to face her critics and pave the way for other gymnasts coping with similar struggles.

Wood has a similar commitment to making change inside her organization. She believes that women need to work together as mentors and leaders to connect and make change. She credits her own Blues coach, Kristine Drakich, for encouraging her to apply for her current job at Acadia, where she is the school’s only female varsity head coach. 

“Women in sport can sometimes doubt that they are capable,” Wood said. “To have positive mentors to encourage us and to use as a sounding board when we are stuck makes us more confident to move forward and excel.”

KPE student Eleni Vlahiotis, who took a lead in organizing She Talks, says the goal of the event is to initiate these conversations within the U of T community to help promote inclusivity so that everyone can enjoy benefits of participating in sport, leading up to the Pan Am Games and beyond. 

“It starts with just one person willing to listen to the conversation and being open-minded about what needs to change in society. One person can definitely make a difference – we all have to begin the journey somewhere.”

This was the second annual She Talks event, a multi-partner initiative hosted by the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education as part of the Ignite program, designed to address key topics based on sexuality issues and topics related to women and gender leading up to the Toronto 2015 Pan Am (July 10-26) and Parapan American (August 7-15) Games.