February 12, 1997
SDSU Exhibit Celebrates Women in Sports
Contact: Louise Snider, 619/594-5204
During Women's History Month, March 1-31, San Diego State University will present an unusual collection of 150 historic images of ordinary women engaged in sports.
The stereotype-shattering exhibit, "The Sporting Woman: InSights from Her Past," will be displayed in the Donor Hall and Exhibit Gallery of the Malcolm Love Library during regular library hours. A complementary exhibit of photographs celebrating women athletes of SDSU also will be displayed.
In prints, posters, magazine covers, photographs, and other materials, the collection presents a unique history of ordinary women participating in everything from the "bull jumping" of Minoan society to ice hockey, soccer, cricket, and many other sports.
Images reveal the surprisingly early involvement of women in many new athletic activities as they were introduced. The restraints came later, both in restrictions of clothing--long dresses, bustles, high heels, etc.--and denial of access. "The whole story of women in sports," says Sally Fox, the curator of the exhibition, "is a history of restrictions."
Fox, who spent two years researching and gathering materials, emphasizes that the exhibit concentrates on the average woman, not the sports champion, and highlights how ordinary women included sports in their daily lives. "The Sporting Woman" has been touring art galleries and universities across the country and was shown at Emory University during the Olympics.
Sponsors of the exhibit are the SDSU Department of Women's Studies, Athletics Department, and Malcolm Love Library. This is an SDSU Centennial event, open to the public free of charge. For library hours, call 619/594-6721.
There also will be an opening night fund raising event honoring women athletes. For information, please contact B. Zimmerman at 619/594-6524.
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