The World of Million Dollar Baby
EXCLUSIVE! INTERVIEW WITH SAVOY HOWE
Savoy Howe founded the Toronto Newsgirls Boxing Club in 1996.
Savoy started boxing at the Toronto Newsboys Boxing Club at Broadview and Eastern in 1992. At that time there were few females in the boxing gym. After training for a year Savoy participated in the first sanctioned bout for women organized by Toronto in 1993. Wearing the Toronto Newsboys t-shirt in competition, Savoy decided that one day she would fight wearing a Toronto Newsgirls t-shirt. In 1996 when the Toronto Newsboys moved to the corner of Queen and Greenwood and became the Unitas Boxing Club, named after the Newsboys founder, Tony Unitas, Savoy started teaching as a way of supplementing income so she could keep training. She put up posters weekly to advertise the women's boxing program and within a short time 40 women signed up. Thus began the Toronto Newsgirls Boxing Club. Sharing the club with the boys was an important part of the herstory, however, at some point, it became apparent that for women to truly feel comfortable and to be able to focus on themselves, a women-only space was required. In 1998, Savoy approached Sully's Boxing Gym in hopes of renting space and time for a women-only class. Sully's happened to be closed on the weekends and the owner agreed to rent the gym to the women's boxing program. The Newsgirls operated out of Sully's for 8 years until Sully's closed this location in July 2006. While searching out a new home, the Newsgirls trained in Toronto parks for three months before opening their new and permanent home in the east end on November 1, 2006. Their new gym is located at 388 Carlaw, Unit #108. |
INTERVIEW
What are some effective ways to encourage women from the local community to explore a widely male-dominated sport like boxing?
" There are a lot of ways to encourage women to take on the sport of boxing. Typically, women choose not to box because they are afraid that they will get a black eye, or a broken tooth, etc. My club (Toronto Newsgirls Boxing Club), focuses on recreational boxing. It's important to broadcast the message that in recreational boxing, there is no getting punched in the head. In letting women know of this message, it makes them realize that they're going to be safe. Also, it's a lot easier for a woman to enter gym that offers classes just for women (like my club does). Additionally, going with a friend also helps increase comfort level."
In your opinion, should the broadcasting of women sport competitions (especially the male-dominated sports) be increased?
"I think so. Some people have a hard time watching women's boxing, especially if blood is involved. There are also a lot of women who, when they see a woman on TV boxing, they realize that wow, women can be that tough. It lets them know that being that strong is an option. It has an effect on them, so that next time when someone tells them that they're nothing, the woman who saw that (female boxing), will be able to say "no, you're wrong."
What were some challenges you faced during the establishment of the Newsgirls Boxing Club?
"There were definitely challenges in establishing the Newsgirls Boxing Club. One major challenge was the financial cost of establishing an individual club. For such reason, the Newsgirls Boxing Club ended up being more a community building business than a personal income project. Another challenge was the competition from men's gyms, we had to fight hard to stand our ground. In the gym, there were men hitting on women boxers and we had to really stand up for ourselves and tell them to stay our of our space. We're here to box, not to entertain you."
Were you met with any social barriers or sexual discrimination?
"Now in the modern 21st century, I don't really experience many stereotypes any more because now, people think that the time is right for this (women boxing) and are getting excited that it was time for something like this to happen. When I was boxing 20 years ago, yes. There were definitely many stereotypes and social barriers. Especially because I started out in a men's gym, it was hard to get people to take me seriously. Through boxing, women are doing something to make themselves stronger, compete in the workforce and learn to take care of themselves."
" There are a lot of ways to encourage women to take on the sport of boxing. Typically, women choose not to box because they are afraid that they will get a black eye, or a broken tooth, etc. My club (Toronto Newsgirls Boxing Club), focuses on recreational boxing. It's important to broadcast the message that in recreational boxing, there is no getting punched in the head. In letting women know of this message, it makes them realize that they're going to be safe. Also, it's a lot easier for a woman to enter gym that offers classes just for women (like my club does). Additionally, going with a friend also helps increase comfort level."
In your opinion, should the broadcasting of women sport competitions (especially the male-dominated sports) be increased?
"I think so. Some people have a hard time watching women's boxing, especially if blood is involved. There are also a lot of women who, when they see a woman on TV boxing, they realize that wow, women can be that tough. It lets them know that being that strong is an option. It has an effect on them, so that next time when someone tells them that they're nothing, the woman who saw that (female boxing), will be able to say "no, you're wrong."
What were some challenges you faced during the establishment of the Newsgirls Boxing Club?
"There were definitely challenges in establishing the Newsgirls Boxing Club. One major challenge was the financial cost of establishing an individual club. For such reason, the Newsgirls Boxing Club ended up being more a community building business than a personal income project. Another challenge was the competition from men's gyms, we had to fight hard to stand our ground. In the gym, there were men hitting on women boxers and we had to really stand up for ourselves and tell them to stay our of our space. We're here to box, not to entertain you."
Were you met with any social barriers or sexual discrimination?
"Now in the modern 21st century, I don't really experience many stereotypes any more because now, people think that the time is right for this (women boxing) and are getting excited that it was time for something like this to happen. When I was boxing 20 years ago, yes. There were definitely many stereotypes and social barriers. Especially because I started out in a men's gym, it was hard to get people to take me seriously. Through boxing, women are doing something to make themselves stronger, compete in the workforce and learn to take care of themselves."