Has both heart and legs

Rating: 10/10 (5 March 2005)

For those who don't quite "get" women's boxing, let me recommend two books that might help. The first is Rene Denfeld's 1997 title Kill the Body, the Head Will Fall, a post-feminist critique. The second is a new book by Leah Hager Cohen (2005), Without Apology. Both books maintain an analytical and critical stance, while at the same time allowing readers the opportunity to "get into the skin" of those who are drawn to the sport. Our society's fear of (and consequent denial of) female aggression is symptomatic of a much deeper problem. Almost all psychologists and sociologists would agree that integrating our aggressive feelings and impulses is an important part in the development of human wholeness. The degree to which we deny this development to women is commensurate with the degree to which we deny them their full complement of humanity. The movie Million Dollar Baby provides a corrective, indeed wholesome model of a woman seeking just such wholeness and integration. The second issue (likely to draw more in the way of negative criticism) dealing with Frankie's mental torment when confronted with a life/death decision may seem a bit sanitized, but the pain of decision is well-portrayed, and the issue is one we have tried to duck as a society, as well. For those not afraid to consider alternative viewpoints, I would recommend the title Death and Dying in the very helpful Opposing Viewpoints series published by Greenhaven Press (2003).