Linda Cohn

Well, I told BJ this morning as we watched "Sportscenter" that it seemed high-time to dedicate my blog-writing of the day to a role model of mine, Linda Cohn. He laughed because he thought I was joking (or maybe because he knew I wasn't), but I was serious. So today, I'm going to talk about Linda Cohn, "Sportscenter" anchor and, in general, a kick-ass lady for a girl like me to look up to. Good friends of mine (which is most of you) know that I'm interested in feminist issues, so naturally I take to women who boldly enter male-dominated fields and then demonstrate their ability to hang with, and often even surpass, the boys. The area of sports seems particularly difficult to break into, but many female athletes have made their sports worth watching and celebrating (Mia Hamm, the Williams sisters, Diana Taurasi, Jennie Finch, and Annika Sorenstam, to name just a couple). Even I must draw the line when it comes to hearing some women do play-by-play during a men's sporting event though, although of course there are some amazing exceptions (i.e. the great Mary Carillo). Linda Cohn, however, is the only voice I want to hear when I turn on a sports talk show. Let's face it, the lady knows her stuff; that's not even worth debating. She's funny, doesn't sound stuck-up, converses comfortably and naturally with her male co-anchors, and she is NEVER ignorant. Ms. Cohn really belongs there, and therefore, she's my role-model.

Sometimes I get incredibly frustrated when I think about the state of things with regard to women, even today. Although things in 2011 are improved, women continue to be subjected to penalty simply for being women, and that totally sucks. Women are still underpaid, their clothes are more expensive, pornography is rampant, and they are still evaluated entirely too much based on their looks. A simple Google search of "female athletes" will yield numerous top results not of talented female athletes, but of lists of the hottest female athletes. You've got to be kidding me. But just when I start to think the road ahead is simply too long to pass, I think of gals like Linda Cohn, who are paving the way and showing their smarts while doing it. My hats off to you, Ms. Cohn.