Girl Dads Are The Ultimate Hype Men For Women’s Sports

In a world where masculinity is often tied to traditional notions of strength and competition, figures like Jason Kelce and Flavor Flav are redefining what it means to be a man. They are proof that supporting and hyping up female athletes and women’s sports won’t make you any less of a man, it might make you even more of one.

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Jason Kelce, the former Philadelphia Eagles center, is now enjoying retirement by supporting women’s sports and being part of the audience, especially women’s rugby. Kelce and his wife, Kylie, have been in Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics, where they’ve become ultimate fans of the U.S. women’s rugby team. USA star player Ilona Maher nudged Kelce to step up for the role of hype man for her team by highlighting that Flavor Flav, the rapper and hype man extraordinaire, is an unabashedly loud crusader of the U.S. women’s water polo team. Naturally, Kelce accepted the honor.

Kelce, a father of three daughters, has found immense joy and inspiration in supporting women's sports. His journey is reminiscent of the late Kobe Bryant, another 'girl dad' who advocated tirelessly for the WNBA. The bond between a father and his daughters can inspire a deeper appreciation for women's sports but is not a prerequisite. Supporting female athletes should be about recognizing their talent and hard work, regardless of whether you have daughters.

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Then there’s Flavor Flav, the 65-year-old founding member of Public Enemy, who has taken on the role of the U.S. women’s water polo team’s official hype man. Flavor Flav's enthusiasm is not just inspiring; it's contagious. He is not just writing checks; he's showing up decked out in Team USA gear, complete with a custom USA Water Polo clock around his neck. He's bringing his signature flair to the sidelines, hugging and high-fiving everyone in sight and even conducting news conferences to bring attention to the team.

Flav’s support is not just about his celebrity status but genuine admiration and excitement for the sport. When team captain Maggie Steffens called for financial help on Instagram, Flav extended unconditional support to the team and put his celebrity status to good use. His five-year sponsorship commitment with the U.S. women's and men's water polo teams “aims to increase visibility and excitement around the sport in the United States.” Flav even scored tickets for the entire team to a Taylor Swift concert, proving his support goes beyond the finances.

The commitment of Kelce and Flav to women's sports is a powerful reminder that supporting female athletes is not only cool but also essential. It is about recognizing the incredible talent, dedication, and hard work that these athletes put into their sports. It's about urgently breaking down the outdated gender norms that suggest men shouldn't be involved in women's sports.

In a society still struggling with gender equality, having high-profile male supporters like Kelce and Flav sends a strong message: women's sports matter, and supporting them is a mark of strength, not weakness. It is about time more men followed their lead.

So, if you think cheering for women's sports makes you less of a man, take a page from Kelce and Flav's playbook. Get out there, wear the jerseys, shout from the stands, and show the world that real men support women—on and off the field. Because at the end of the day, it is not about being manly; it's about being human and recognizing the incredible achievements of athletes, regardless of gender.