Association for Women Journalists - DFW Chapter

May 2003 NEWS

Columnist, author Jenkins speaks about stereotypes
by Jessica DeLeon, AWJ Secretary

In 1976, the sports bra was developed, fashioned out of two jock straps. Attendees learned this bit of information at the Association for Women Journalists 2003 Awards and Scholarship Dinner, held April 25 at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas. The nonprofit organization awarded scholarships to four college students and presented the Courage Award to a Metroplex volunteer before the keynote speech by award-winning Washington Post sports columnist Sally Jenkins.

Jenkins -- co-author of Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong's autobiography, ``It's Not About the Bike,'' and a Fort Worth native -- gave the fact about the sports bra, but her speech focused on stereotyping.

She said while audiences likes types, her job gives her the ability to examine people in a different way.

``The wonderful thing about being a sportswriter and a woman is like being left-handed,'' she said. ``It's different.''

She noted that the old conventional feminist assumptions about the Masters golf tournament were wrong. She doesn't believe, in that case, that gender discrimination rises to the level of racial discrimination. She noted that women play at Augusta National Golf Club all the time. They're just not allowed to be $30,000-a-year dues-paying members.

``Is it my job to be a feminist advocate? The answer is no,'' she said.

``The interesting thing is the typecasting is wrong.''

She said Hootie Johnson, the Augusta National Golf Club and Masters Tournament Chairman, could be easily stereotyped as a chauvinist, but he campaigned to name a University of South Carolina business building after a woman and was active in civil rights causes.

Jenkins also related several anecdotes about how some prominent athletes don't fit their stereotypes. Tennis legend Chris Evert, characterized as an ice princess, once threw up into her U.S. Open trophy after a night of drinking.

And Pat Summitt, University of Tennessee women's basketball coach, hates to be labeled a feminist. Jenkins has written two books with the coach, ``Reach for the Summit'' and ``Raise the Roof.''

Jenkins, who previously worked for Sports Illustrated, said she was glad she spent her career not being accepted. Women sportswriters are open to interpretation and not falling into type.

``In the end, I think what you end up with is a great experiment in human nature,'' she said.


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Habitat for Humanity leader receives AWJ's 2003 Courage Award
by Jessica DeLeon, AWJ Secretary

Ann Sutherland Chappell, coordinator for the Habitat for Humanity Council of North Central Texas, received the AWJ's 2003 Courage Award at the journalism group's annual spring banquet.

The award is presented each year to a woman who has shown leadership, tenacity and integrity in working to improve conditions for women.

Several years ago, Chappell spearheaded the first all-woman crew to build a Habitat home in Fort Worth. She joked that the team took longer to finish the project than an all-man crew would have -- because the women had to ``run Christmas'' and didn't work on the house at all during December.

Chappell, of Fort Worth, said half of the 600 households served by Habitat in North Texas were headed by single mothers.

Chappell spoke after the scholarships were given out and presenter/AWJ treasurer Sujata Dand noted she earned $12,000 at her first job. Chappell said her husband earned $600 a month when he started working as an attorney.

``It's not always the money that drives us,'' she said. ``It's the passion.''

She told the audience she was honored and humbled to receive the award.

She said she accepted it on behalf of the single mothers and other women who struggle to earn a living, raise their families and make a difference in their communities.

``Nothing I've done is courageous,'' she said. ``What I've done is a labor of love.''

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