Last May, New Moon Girls wrote Ski Jumping Sexism, which was about girls and women not being able to compete in the ski jumping event of the Olympic games. Some amazing girls and women such as Lindsey Van and Sarah Hendrickson worked hard to end this unfair situation, and we are happy to announce they made a difference!
Lindsey, who began ski jumping when she was 11 years old, became the first Women’s World Champion in 2009. Now 27, she has been a leader in the fight to make it possible for girls to compete in this Olympic event. And she is now making news for something else: donating her bone marrow (twice) to a man with cancer.
Just two weeks after competing in the World Championships, Lindsey donated her bone marrow for the second time. Lindsay has never met this man, but she was happy to help him, even though she knew that it would be a long and painful process. Her donation saved the man’s life!
“Someone asked me for cells to help save their life and there’s no reason why I wouldn’t do it again,” Lindsey said in an interview. “It’s the right thing to do.”
You can learn more about Lindsey’s story at the Women’s Ski Jump USA website.
Sarah Hendrickson is also a strong female figure in Olympic ski jumping. Since our interview with her in the March issue, she has been making leaps and bounds (for real!) in the sport. At only 17 years old, Sarah won the first-ever Women’s World Cup competition this year. She is also the only American (male or female) to earn a medal in a Junior World Ski Jumping Championship, where she won the bronze medal in 2010.
“It’s a wonderful feeling,” Sarah said in an interview for the Women’s Ski Jump USA website.
You can learn more about Sarah Hendrickson and her accomplishments here.
Coming this February, a movie will be released about the struggle for equality that Lindsey and her teammates have faced called “Ready to Fly: Glass Ceilings Were Meant to be Broken.” Check out the inspiring video about the movie here, also be sure to check out some awesome facts about the movie!
For more on girls and women in Olympic ski jumping, see their website. Meet the team, visit their photo galleries and learn more about what these amazing girls and women are doing!
What do you think about the sexism in Olympic ski jumping? What other stories have you heard of girls and women breaking barriers in their sports? Share with us in your comments below!
Emily
New Moon Intern
