St. Thomas University sociology professor Kristi Allain had one simple question in reaction to Hockey Canada含羞草研究社檚 new dressing room policy: 含羞草研究社淲hy?含羞草研究社�
Hockey Canada has implemented a new policy for the 2023-24 minor hockey season, including a 含羞草研究社渕inimum attire rule,含羞草研究社� with the goal of respecting privacy and making dressing environments more inclusive.
Allain, who has spent years researching masculinity in hockey, wants to know what sparked Hockey Canada to introduce this policy when the sport has much larger issues.
含羞草研究社淚 think we have to ask serious questions about 含羞草研究社榳hy?含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫 said Allain. 含羞草研究社淚f a community, the LGBTQ community, the Muslim community, is asking for this, then we should have it.
含羞草研究社淏ut if these communities have not asked for this, then I think we have to wonder if this is just a distraction from some of the really actual hard, hard changes that are going to need to happen to make hockey a safe place for women, for LGBTQ people, for racialized folks.含羞草研究社�
Allain isn含羞草研究社檛 the only one in the academic community who含羞草研究社檚 puzzled by Hockey Canada含羞草研究社檚 decision.
Bruce Kidd, a Canadian Olympian, writer and Professor Emeritus of sport and public policy at the University of Toronto, wonders how Hockey Canada came to the conclusion these policy changes needed to be made.
含羞草研究社淒id you have a study? Did you consult? Did you look at whether other jurisdictions are doing (this)?含羞草研究社� said Kidd. 含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 want to say that it含羞草研究社檚 a solution searching for a problem, but this came as a big surprise to me.含羞草研究社�
Hockey Canada did not specifically clarify how this policy came about when asked for comment from The Canadian Press.
含羞草研究社淗ockey Canada含羞草研究社檚 Dressing Room Policy, which will be implemented for the 2023-24 season, was designed to enhance the safety of all participants through proper supervision and minimum attire requirements,含羞草研究社� Hockey Canada said in a statement.
含羞草研究社淎ll participants have the right to utilize the dressing room or appropriate and equivalent dressing environment based on their gender identity, religious beliefs, body image concerns, and/or other reasons related to their individual needs.含羞草研究社�
The 含羞草研究社渕inimum attire rule含羞草研究社� requires that players be wearing a base layer in a dressing room when surrounded by at least one other person.
The policy, which applies to all minor hockey teams sanctioned by Hockey Canada and its member associations, recommends that players arrive at the arena wearing that base layer.
Should a player arrive without it, they含羞草研究社檙e to get changed in a private area, such as a bathroom stall, before joining the rest of the team in the dressing room and putting on their equipment.
Hockey Canada states it含羞草研究社檚 the responsibility of coaches and team staff to ensure players follow the policy.
As part of the policy, Hockey Canada is also introducing a 含羞草研究社渞ule of two,含羞草研究社� requiring two trained and screened adults to be present in or directly outside (with an open door) the dressing room at once 含羞草研究社渢o ensure it is free of any discrimination, harassment, bullying, or other forms of maltreatment.含羞草研究社�
The new policy also outlines recommended best practices for the use of showers, where players must wear minimum attire in open-concept scenarios, such as swimwear. It also prohibits violent activities and videos, still photos or recordings of any kind in dressing environments.
Kidd remembers from his days as a University of Toronto athletic director that there were increasing calls for private showers and dressing rooms when the school was undergoing renovations, but that was 20-some years ago.
Allain says the 含羞草研究社渕inimum attire含羞草研究社� issue is not something she含羞草研究社檚 come across in her 20 years of research.
含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檝e heard lots of concerns from lots of people, but this is actually not one of them,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淚 was surprised.含羞草研究社�
Allain lists racism, homophobia, sexual violence and the physical trauma people can experience after years of playing hockey as examples of problems in hockey. She also points out the lack of accessibility to the sport for working-class families in Canada.
含羞草研究社淭here are lots of complaints about hockey and its lack of inclusion,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淗ockey Canada needs to be making true efforts to increase diversity in the game, to be an inclusive game, to be a sport that含羞草研究社檚 not linked to violence. There are lots of places where they need to make changes. Every day we hear stories about how hockey is failing.
含羞草研究社淚 was surprised that this is the issue they含羞草研究社檙e going to tackle first and I含羞草研究社檇 like to know what precipitated this.含羞草研究社�
Daniel Rainbird, The Canadian Press
