I have 3 daughters.  Growing up, I lived most of my formidable years with my Dad, my brother and my sister.  So, I kinda missed the girl thing.  I didn’t pay much attention to the plight of women until I had my girls. Now, I see it as clear as day.  The messages we send to our daughters is horrific.  I wrote a bit about it here not too long ago.  

Because of this, I was pumped to see Lindsey Vonn was scheduled to make an appearance at Vail this weekend.  Lindsey is a great role model for my girls, not because she is pretty or because she has this squeaky clean image, but because she excels as a women.  She is great at something that isn’t associated with sex or looks, or clothes, or a man.  She is a stand out athlete at a cool, fast, dangerous, sport and that is good for little girls.

I want my daughters to know they are great not because they have great legs, a nice rack, pretty hair or a nice face, but because they have earned greatness through hard work, through passion and commitment.  I want them to know that they are great for who they are and what they accomplish.  Not because of what they look like.

We don’t produce enough women role models that deliver on those traits. Even more disappointing, we don’t celebrate more women who accomplish great things without their looks.   Too often we celebrate the Kardashian’s, the bimbo’s from Heff’s manion, or Paris Hilton.   If we keep parading these types of women around as role models, our girls are screwed before they’re 18.

Lindsy was great.  She signed my daughter’s helmet.  She thanked the crowd for coming out.  She answered questions for a handful of starry eyed little girls.

My daughter now has Lindsey’s picture hanging on her wall. As a dad it feels good to know Lindsey is on her wall.  We’re headed in the right direction.