Abigail Hoffman plays “Like a Girl”

Abigail Hoffman is a name every Canadian should know. I can’t believe I didn’t until very recently when I read a Canadian Running piece about her.

Her story is larger-than-life — full of courage, optimism, strength and the belief that women should have every opportunity to compete in sport. She began her athletic journey as a nine-year-old hockey player in Ontario, insisting she be allowed to play with the boys. It was the 50s. This wasn’t socially acceptable.

Girls didn’t play organized hockey then. If Abigail was going to play the game she loved it would have to be with the boys, and so she did. This caused a huge controversy at the time — I can only imagine — I recall my own experience wanting to play hockey around the age of nine as well. That was 1988. Despite asking my parents over and over, playing with the boys was something which still wasn’t quite acceptable at the time. I ended up playing ringette for a few years before switching to hockey when my parents found an all-girls team near by. That team ended up being my most sincere supporters throughout my hockey days, which took me all the way to the first-ever Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union (now Canadian Interuniversity Sport) women’s hockey national championship.

I look at the opportunities girls and young women have today, not only in hockey, but so many sports — it’s a different scene than it was in 1988, largely because of the bravery of women like Abigail who pushed the limits and started to change perceptions of gender roles.

Abigail continued to pioneer change through her teens as a runner, joining the Toronto Olympic Club. She won her first national championship in the 880-yard race when she was 15 years old. She competed internationally from 1962 to 1976 in four Olympics, four Pan-American Games (where she won two gold medals) and two Commonwealth Games (one gold). Throughout her life Abigail has, and continues to, relentlessly fight for women in sport and was named to the Order of Canada in recognition of her work.

Today we live in a country where, for the most part, we don’t think twice about a girl asking to play hockey or a young woman receiving an athletic scholarship. We have come so far, but there is so much to be done before true equality is reached. There are still unfair stereotypes, warped social expectations and crippling media images holding girls back from feeling capable and worthy of playing.

The Always “Like a Girl” campaign really drives this point home. If you haven’t watched the series of videos, check them out. They’re powerful. Millions of people have viewed these videos, helping to transform minds. From Abigail Hoffman in the 1950s to a major corporation in the 21st century, the battle for equality continues.