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New Blood, New Outlooks: Women and Sports in Print Media

As a reporter, I think a lot about the columns written by Doris Hamel. When I was young, they really opened my eyes to feminist issues.

Similarly, Louise Plante wrote about women’s political careers and the activism of feminist organizations. I also have a very clear memory of the articles she wrote on the war in Afghanistan.

Portrait of reporter Louise Plante. She is wearing a green top

Louise Plante

But sports were my main interest. And I’ve definitely been able to find my niche over the course of a 45-year career. I’ve covered plenty of major sporting events. I was inspired by Chantal Machabée. At the age of 24, she became the first woman to give a sports report. The achievement coincided with the launch of RDS, the Quebec cable sports network.

I remember the first time I was given a 10-second countdown before going on-air, and the national anthem started playing. It was the longest 10 seconds of my life! I was worried I wouldn’t be able to go through with it!

– Chantale Machabée, writing for Radio-Canada (November 20, 2024)

Clipping from Le Dynamique, a local newspaper in Sainte-Tite. The article was written by a woman, Hélène C. Moreau.

Article on the results of the figure skating competition at the Quebec Games (1982)

Clipping from Le Nouvelliste with an article by Ann Robert on the Quebec Games.

Series of articles by Ann Boisvert on the Quebec Games

 

I had the opportunity to cover the Quebec Games whenever they were hosted in the Mauricie. The event was held in Trois-Rivières in 1975, 1999 and 2025, and in Shawinigan in 1982, 1991 and 2012. I was the first woman to play a role like that at Le Nouvelliste. It was still early days for women in the profession. We had to fight our way through.

 

Julie Trépanier-Boisvert, Fictional Reporter: The Revival of Print Media in the Early 20th Century New Struggles for a New Feminism: Stand Strong, Quebec Women!