Boivin sees positive changes for women in sports media

When Paola Boivin was a child, she would put eye black on her Barbies. Even then, she seemed to always know that she wanted to be a sports writer. As somebody who did not even like Barbies, and would much rather play tee-ball in my backyard, I related to her immensely. While I didn’t always know I wanted to be a sports writer like her, it was the only logical conclusion I came to when I chose a major. Boivin — an award-winning sports columnist who worked for The Arizona Republic for more than 20 years — has seen first-hand how the landscape has changed for women working in sports media. She even emphasized how she was happy to go from being a “a woman who doesn’t know sports” to “just another dumb sports writer.” I think one of the most interesting things she pointed out is how a young Phoenix Suns team is so accepting of women working in locker rooms because of how normal it has been for them growing up. To me, that shows that while we may not be where we need to in terms of the respect of female sports journalists, we are well on our way. Even in her role on the College Football Playoff Committee, Boivin emphasizes how she never feels uncomfortable or looked down upon, despite being the only woman on the committee and only the second since it was established in 2014. She is able to talk and argue college football with every man in the room. Boivin’s work as the digital director of the Cronkite News Phoenix Sports Bureau and Cronkite professor has worked to further educate female sports journalists on how to work and succeed within a male-dominated profession.