Male sailors still have work to do

# Male sailors still have work to do

The Mighty Mary movie has drawn attention for retelling the women's campaign that challenged the 1995 America's Cup. After watching the film, Gus Carlson describes how the story exposes more than a single race: it highlights attitudes among male sailors that remain problematic decades later.

What the film shows

He remembers asking Dawn Riley, Mighty Mary's team captain, to speak to his daughter's all-girls U‑12 hockey team. Riley agreed only if the boys' team was present. Her reasoning: girls need to hear they can compete, but boys also need to hear that girls can compete. Carlson says that point came back to him while watching the movie.

Culture versus cost

Discussion of sailing's barriers often focuses on cost. Carlson argues the film makes clear that institutional chauvinism is a close second. The attitudes shown in the movie suggest that cultural barriers — dismissiveness, jokes, and a refusal to take women seriously — reduce opportunities and discourage participation.

What happened after Mighty Mary

The film concentrates on the 1995 trials and the controversial deal that extended Dennis Conner's Stars & Stripes campaign after defeat, a move that contributed to Mighty Mary's failure in the finals. Carlson points out the film gives little attention to what came next: Dawn Riley went on to create America True, a co-ed, female-led team that performed strongly on a modest budget and beat Stars & Stripes in 2000. That follow-on shows persistence and capability beyond the defeat captured in the movie.

Carlson's call to action

As a father of two daughters and a lifelong sailor, Carlson encourages fellow men in the sport to watch Mighty Mary. He says the "malignant misogyny" in the film should make some viewers cringe. But the bigger problem is those who still find the idea that women can compete against men laughable or quaint. Carlson's message is direct: many male sailors still need to change their attitudes and take active steps to support equality.

Concrete implications for sailing

• Programming and outreach that include boys and men alongside girls and women can change perceptions about who belongs in competitive sailing.
• Holding decision-makers accountable for selection and funding choices would reduce opportunistic deals that disadvantage underrepresented competitors.
• Documenting and publicizing successful mixed and female-led campaigns like America True helps build a record of competitive legitimacy.

Carlson's reflection uses the film as both a reminder of past behavior and a prompt to examine current attitudes. He asks men in sailing to stop treating women's competitiveness as amusing and to take responsibility for creating real equality on and off the water.