Mama Bear by Mackenzie

Mama Bear by Mackenzie - November 2019 Scholarship Essay

Being labeled “Mama Bear” comes with some hefty responsibilities. As the captain of the Girls Varsity Soccer team, if any one of my “cubs” require a wingman, I am there and we work as one. If another needs a shoulder to cry on, I become their source of comfort with the fluffiest pillow … and if any face harassment, I step up and defend them.

The Annual Pep Rally festivities started off on the right track. My team’s attire was flamboyant to suit the energy and spirit of the occasion: tie-dyed shirts, colorful socks, glitter in our hair, and rainbow accessories. We danced, laughed, shouted, and cheered to our hearts’ content. There certainly were some Kumbaya moments!

As the celebration began to wind down, one of my teammates was unexpectedly, purposely elbowed in the back by another student. As she turned to sarcastically thank him for his abrupt behavior, he responded that she deserved the physical contact because she (and the team) supported the gay community. Apparently, he mistook our rainbow-colored outfits as representing the LGBTQ which ironically, is a group we do embrace so it did not bother us that he made the association. However, this very teammate’s sibling is indeed gay and she expressed that to the student who only continued his verbal attack on her and her family. I was completely appalled by this encounter as the tears emerged from my teammate’s eyes.

In the last year, I have witnessed “the coming out” of several classmates. It has been refreshing to see these students courageously take steps forward to be free from stereotypes and stigmas, to live their lives as they desire and more importantly, to be happy. For the most part, the majority of the student body has accepted this movement, but there are those who fear what they label as “unconventional beliefs and practices”. It is this “fear” that has led to physical and verbal backlashes towards the LGBTQ community at my school, a place where everyone should feel safe.

When did another person’s personal preference become your problem? Why does a person’s private matter need to be your public issue? How does their lifestyle affect yours? I believe the answer to all three are that they don’t. Sometimes ignorance is a good thing!

I admit that if this incident had taken place two years ago when I was one of the youngest on the team, I most likely would not have taken any action. I probably would have brushed it off as to this person being a jerk and naïve. However, being a captain does not just mean being a leader on the field, but off as well. This insensitive behavior should not be condoned and with that sentiment, my co-captain and I reported the misconduct to DASA (Dignity for All Students Act) where the Vice Principal advised that the individual would be educated on diversity. Is that the outcome I would have liked? Not really. I personally would have wanted him to be hung upside down on a tree by his toes. But it is a start, better to begin somewhere than nowhere and to work with one person at a time than none at all.

I took my role as a captain and leader seriously. I wanted to show that any form of discrimination should not be accepted or dismissed and that inequities and inappropriate behavior both need to be addressed in a timely manner. I needed my teammate to know that she could count on Mama Bear, that I had her back and that I would take a stand to correct a wrong. I hoped to set the tone for the next captain of the team with specific characteristics: dependability, responsibility, integrity, and respect of values with the determination to see things through. There will be other similar situations in the future, it was and is important to lead by example.