Feb 16 2010
The sixth invisible team member
Hats off to this Olympian who is able to curl while pregnant. Hats off also to the reporter who correctly identifies that there are six people in the picture here:
As with all curling teams, Team Canada features five members. Well, six, if you really want to get technical with it. Alternate Kristie Moore, 30, is 5½ months pregnant, making her just the second athlete ever known to be with child during Olympic competition. Ninety years ago, Swedish figure skater Magda Julin won a gold medal at the Antwerp Games while in her first trimester.
Funny how we so easily get it right with wanted pregnancies.
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Update: Check Feministing for a comment on this very news item about the pregnant curler. Then read the comments. Mostly people thought the initial post was out of line. But there’s also this:
If the mother wishes to keep the kid, then I have no issue if she refers to it as it’s own entity already. My mother does/did similar to me “Oh, you *have* gone to Disney World and Mardis Gras, you just couldn’t see it.”
Please note that “what the mother feels” is the basis for the pro-abortion movement. Not science. Not logic. Feelings. Which, if you are me, change drastically from day to day, even hour to hour. There is a reality behind the feelings, one that some feminists are apparently completely unwilling to see. (h/t)
More power to her!
But! For the baby’s sake, should she be competing while 5 1/2 months pregnant?
I read an article about this that said since she is an alternate, it is unlikely she would actually play in competition (only if another member is hurt). Also, it said that it would be safe for her and the baby even if she did compete, as curling is not exactly a high-contact or speed sport. What I really liked about the article which I read was how Moore described how supportive the Canadian team had been after she told them she was pregnant when they invited her to join and how they still wanted her on the team. Also, it seems like a nice situation for her, as she will be in Vancouver with her team mates and receive any medal they might win even if she sees no game play. I don’t really follow curling, or sports in general for that matter, but I really hope these women do well.