Let's All Calm Down For A Hot Minute

The events of this past weekend have definitely been a whirlwind, particularly on Twitter where a good deal of drama (unnecessarily) occurs. In a way, it's understandable- you read only a small line, get the idea of what the person who wrote it means, and you may or may not like what you read. Tempers may flare, insults may arise, all because of technology. It's sad but true, and I've been privy to it myself. But I usually think I know where to draw the line.

Unfortunately, some people let their emotions get into the way, and it sparked a bit of a tiff over a tried-and-true question: the definition of a puck bunny. As readers may know, I detest the term and all that it implies, and yes, I have my own ideas of what constitutes puck bunnyism. But what set off this most recent explosion of feminism and questioning is basically a misunderstanding, as far as I can tell.

I've spoken to both parties involved, and right now I honestly have respect for both of them as well. They both blog about the game, just in different ways- one in the traditional method of stats, analysis, and overall recap and looking ahead, and the other focusing more on the culture involved, and how the people in the world of hockey act. Both are interesting and informative in their own ways, and as far as I'm concerned, now that I know both sides of the story I don't think I'm at liberty to judge either side, either for being too harsh or too fluffy. We all have our ways of covering the game we all love, and I don't think anyone should really judge the methods, as long as they're not all about how hot someone's rear end looks in hockey pants.

More than that, there's just no point in tearing each other down, especially as women. I have done my fair share of criticizing females' behavior when it comes to male hockey players, and I'll own up to it, but it really disturbed me to find that quite a few female fans said they faced the majority of "puck bunny" criticism from female fans, not male. So this really isn't so much an issue of how we present ourselves to the men who watch this sport (though I'm sure there are those jerks out there, or those who really don't care either way). So why are women so focused on the images of other women? I understand the obvious- you don't want them to give you a bad name- but as long as you are secure in yourself and you know who you are, who cares what anyone else has to say? That was the point the accused party made in this case, and to tell you the truth, it's a good one.

Though I still cast aside the pink jerseys and "Hockey and Heels" promotions as unnecessary gimmicks meant to attract far more of a casual crowd, to say the least... there's no reason for me to attack my fellow female hockey fans. It's just pointless. I would rather explain the game to a girl who doesn't know than point a pious finger at her. It'll save me frustration and a lot of apologies.

Bottom line? Let's just stop the blind accusations. And let's all try to support one another. We all have one thing in common, after all, and that is the love of the game.