Fans of the Lionesses have criticised calls to rename the team the Lions over claims that the name is sexist, arguing that Lionesses are harder workers than their male counterparts. This includes Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries.
Sarina Wiegman’s team advanced to the Euro 2022 championship final on Sunday at Wembley, but it seems that not all fans are happy with the way the team is described in media accounts of their impressive performances.
The controversy began on Wednesday morning (July 27) during a discussion on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour when a listener questioned the use of the nickname “Lionesses.”
The listener’s remarks drew criticism from politicians and social media users alike.
Nadine Dorries, the culture secretary, called the idea of renaming the Lionesses “nonsense” in an interview with LBC this morning.
“Rubbish,” she uttered to Nick Ferrari. Nonsense. They are our lionesses, and I adore everything that that word encapsulates.
In her statement, she claimed that after spending a year in Africa, she is aware that “lions are the lazy ones, who lay around in the sun all day.”
The lionesses care for the cubs and the entire pride, Ms. Dorries continued. They don’t just go out and bring in the food.
Therefore, I am proud to refer to them as the lionesses and I actually believe they should be called lionesses.
“Calling them lions? Sorry, but that’s not going to happen—at least not in my house.
The word “encapsulates so much that is powerful, positive, and good,” she continued.
Why would some individuals attempt to disparage something so fantastic and positive about women’s football in that manner?
On Sunday night, “the girls are travelling to Wembley.”
Why would anyone, including the media, want to begin criticising such a beautiful event and a team of women who have performed so well?
“We should all be proud of them, proud of the title and name lionesses and celebrate it,” she said in closing.
Not everyone who objected to the suggestion was as outspoken as Nadine Dorries.
Anita Asante, a former footballer, defended the moniker on the BBC programme and even laughed when Barnett suggested changing it to Lions.
The defender, who has 71 caps, claimed that it was “one of those things” and that “we genderize everything, don’t we?”
Fair enough, Asante said, “it’s been a fantastic branding tool for the national team and a method for fans to relate and connect with this bunch of players.”
This morning, Piers Morgan was a little more direct in his criticism of the “gender-deranged woke wastrels” who want the England women’s football team’s moniker to change from Lionesses to Lions.
The attempt to avoid being sexist by referring to England’s outstanding footballing Lionesses as “Lions” is the most pitiful virtue-signaling campaign ever, and the bar for that distinction was astronomically high, he claimed on Twitter.
Just pop a cork in it, you miserable gender-deranged wastrels of the woke.
In the meantime, the public has been eager to participate in the discussion.
While the Lionesses were playing in the semi-finals, someone tweeted: “Instead of calling the women’s team Lionesses, may they be the Lions and the men’s team be the kittens?”
Another remarked this morning: “Don’t Lionesses” do all the work, including hunting, raising children, and having cubs? Spend time in the sunshine!
Others noted that there is already a rugby squad in the UK called the Lions: “No, that titles allocated to actual guys not prime-donnas, the British Lions Rugby Team!” Leave the lady lionesses alone because they are deserving of the name!
And as yesterday’s episode of Women’s Hour was airing, Coronation Street star Dame Maureen Lipman sent a letter in response to the contentious discussion.
The 76-year-old actress clarified her reservations by stating that “the Lions are a male rugby team” and emphasising the good associations associated with a “pride of lionesses.”
The men’s football squad for England is known as the Three Lions, whereas the British and Irish Lions are an international rugby side.
After applauding the players for their “magnificent collaboration, clean, fresh, gorgeous football, wonderful flair, and workload” the previous night, Dame Maureen continued.
Dazzling cheetahs, forget lions, she said. I am really happy.
One of the most viewed television events of the year was the Lionesses’ 4-0 semi-final victory over Sweden on Tuesday night, which drew a broadcast viewership of 9.3 million and an additional 2 million viewers streaming the game on BBC apps.
As England easily advanced to the final, Beth Mead, Lucy Bronze, Alessia Russo, and Fran Kirby all struck the back of the net.
They will play eight-time champions Germany on Sunday in front of a packed house at Wembley, which may set a new record for the number of spectators for a match in a European Championship, male or female.