At the risk of making this issue overwrought, I will say, that as the father of 2 girls and a graduate of ND, the women that attend ND (and aspire to do so) have an equal claim to “The Fighting Irish”. No qualifiers/modifiers should be needed. #24 is no more or less one of us, The Fighting Irish, than Joe Montana. So, to the extent that Lady Irish questions that as a relic of past language, we should let that go. And I don’t suggest, for one minute, that those who use the term are purposely trying to harm anyone.
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I agree entirely. Calling the women's team the Lady Irish is a subtle way to diminish their role and performance. It's similar to the many other ways that women are denigrated in our society. They have just as much if not more fight in them as any of the men's teams -- witness this entire season. Moreover, if it weren't for the women's teams, Notre Dame would have won many fewer championships over the past 30 years. The newspapers don't resort to that qualifier even though they may be reporting on both men's and women's teams from the same school in the same issue. Also, it sounds very Southern to me, like the Lady Vols.
I'm sure that the original poster meant no disrespect, but it hurts the women anyway.
If you insist on using Lady Irish, then it be only fair to also say Gentlemen Irish.
Finally, the University does not use that qualifier.
Sounds very southern to me...
This place takes the cake
Seriously? Gee, the Tennessee fans seem to have no problem calling their highly successful women's basketball team the Lady Vols
But that's just the southern hicks putting up with it right?
Everyone knows who they are that way.
the NCAA Women's championship team.
there needs to be something that references the specific team. I’m fine with the men’s and women’s basketball team. If the team and it’s followers like Lady Irish, that’s good also. No biggie either way to me.
Call them the Fighting Lady Irish if you want but I can't see why you would. It is just piggy backing on the men which isn't necessary. They have created their own identity. Let people develop their own relationship as fans with their team.