ISU Congress 2021

[Sylvia]

ISU Congresses - International Skating Union

The International Skating Union is the international sport federation administering Ice Skating sports throughout the world.

www.isu.org

... the pandemic development will lead to a four-year interval between full Congresses. This means that a number of urgent and essential as well as drafting/clarification motions have accumulated. The ISU Council therefore decided that besides the 2020 financial statements and the 2021-2022 Budget, some Proposals from ISU Members, the Technical Committees and the Council will also be submitted to a mail vote by ISU Members.

Excerpts from April 30, 2021 CIRCULAR LETTER NO. 624 -- SUMMARY OF PROPOSALS FOR A MAIL VOTE IN REPLACEMENT OF THE ORDINARY CONGRESS 2021 – PROVISORY AGENDA APRIL 30, 2021 INCLUDING COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS:

Provisory Agenda including the ISU Council’s Recommendations as well as an indication of whether Proposals are considered by the ISU Council to be “urgent & essential” or “drafting” or “clarification” or “to be postponed to the 2022 Congress” (158 pages): https://www.isu.org/docman-document...25790-congress-2021-provisional-agenda-1/file

Between April 30 and May 15, 2021, ISU Members and Technical Committees may submit comments on the Council selection of motions to be debated and put questions to the Council relating to the agenda items and to the Council recommendations.
ISU Members will furthermore have the possibility to submit objections to the proposed Technical Rule changes. In line with Article 11, paragraph 2.b) of the ISU Constitution, changes in the Technical Rules as proposed in the attached Agenda are accepted unless an ISU Member puts forward (between April 30 and May 15, 2021) an objection. Those Technical Rule Proposals subject to an objection will be voted upon through a mail vote (see below) between June 15 and June 22, 2021 with a simple majority needed to reject the Proposal.
...
All ISU Member comments and questions and all objections to proposed Technical Rule changes, as well as the ISU Council responses, will be posted on the ISU Extranet by May 24, 2021. This procedure will ensure an adequate level of transparent debate among the ISU Members, ISU Technical Committees and the ISU Council. It is herewith reiterated (see Circular Letter No. 623), there will be no possibility to submit Urgent Matter Proposals, because the legal requirements set by Article 30, paragraph 5 of the ISU Constitution cannot be properly implemented.
Taking into account the comments, questions and objections received, the ISU Council will decide upon and publish by June 15, 2021 the Agenda with the final Proposals to be voted upon by ISU Members through a mail vote. The voting procedures (voting forms, e-mail addresses etc.) will be communicated to ISU Members at the same time as the Agenda. ISU Members will have one week to submit their mail votes and the deadline will be June 22, 2021.
The applicable majorities for alterations of the Regulations remain in accordance with Article 11, paragraph 2 of the ISU Constitution.
The results of the mail vote will be published by the ISU by June 30, 2021.

 

[Sylvia]

Provisory Agenda including the ISU Council’s Recommendations as well as an indication of whether Proposals are considered by the ISU Council to be “urgent & essential” or “drafting” or “clarification” or “to be postponed to the 2022 Congress” (158 pages):

Just noticed my earlier link is broken - new working link to view the Provisory Agenda document: https://www.isu.org/docman-document...25783-congress-2021-provisional-agenda-1/file

31. ISU COUNCIL URGENT & ESSENTIAL
Article 39, paragraph 3 b) and c)
b) The Figure Skating Branch includes the following disciplines (Gender Categories indicated in parenthesis if not included in the discipline title):
i) Single & Pair Skating disciplines:

• Ladies Women Single Skating
• Men Single Skating
• Pair Skating (1 Lady Woman & 1 Man);

ii) Ice Dance discipline: - Ice Dance (1 Lady Woman & 1 Man);
...

 

[MacMadame]

When did the Ladies discipline become the Women's discipline? I mean besides a few decades too late.

 

[Aussie Willy]

It is low hanging fruit but I am glad to see them get rid of the term "Ladies". Do any other sports use it these days?

 

[tony]

It is low hanging fruit but I am glad to see them get rid of the term "Ladies". Do any other sports use it these days?

Within tennis, Wimbledon still does (I think) but I don’t think the rest of the events/WTA ever does. I can’t think of anything else.

 

[ninjapirate]

It is low hanging fruit but I am glad to see them get rid of the term "Ladies". Do any other sports use it these days?

The LPGA... Ladies Professional Golf Association.

 

[Immortelle]

It is low hanging fruit but I am glad to see them get rid of the term "Ladies". Do any other sports use it these days?

I think Wimbledon still does.

 

[just tuned in]

Eh, I prefer "ladies." Up until what age are the females still referred to as "girls?"

 

[Lemonade20]

Eh, I prefer "ladies." Up until what age are the females still referred to as "girls?"

I didn't realize "ladies" was offensive

 

[Aussie Willy]

I didn't realize "ladies" was offensive

Not offensive. I just think it is irrelevant these days. But that is my personal opinion. Most other womens sports use the term "women". But as others have identified some still use "ladies".

If I was looking for an equivalent it would be gymnastics which has the same age demographics at high levels of the sport and they are called "women".

I think I have opened a can of worms on this one.

 

[starrynight]

I remember dying inside the first time someone said to their kid ‘ask the nice woman if you can....’ Clearly I’d aged out of being called a girl which was a bit depressing.

In other languages (like German which uses Frau and Frauline) when does it change? How old do you need to look?

 

[overedge]

Past ISU history makes me whenever I see the ISU wanting to designate something as "urgent and essential".
Remember "this is a project, not a rule"?

 

[barbk]

I didn't realize "ladies" was offensive

Not offensive, but lacking in symmetry. If we're going to have ladies -- the guys should be termed gentlemen.

 

[starrynight]

The whole women vs ladies argument is probably a bit redundant in a sport that has girls/women in tiny rhinestone dresses and full hair and makeup and gives marks on how they present.

The worlds tiniest bandaid lol

 

[hanca]

I remember dying inside the first time someone said to their kid ‘ask the nice woman if you can....’ Clearly I’d aged out of being called a girl which was a bit depressing.

In other languages (like German which uses Frau and Frauline) when does it change? How old do you need to look?

Some languages are strictly on married versus non married. So 80 year old would be still Miss if she has never been married. Other languages are based on appearance, so youthful looking (teenager looking) would be Miss and anything older than that would be Mrs. But lady is just a polite version of woman, so I can’t see why it would need to be replaced.

 

[Japanfan]

Not offensive. I just think it is irrelevant these days. But that is my personal opinion. Most other womens sports use the term "women". But as others have identified some still use "ladies".

The word 'ladies' can have some sexist connotations IMO, although it is often used very casually and inoffensively, particularly by women. Now the term 'girls' night out' comes to mind. Prefer 'ladies' to 'girls'.

Not offensive, but lacking in symmetry. If we're going to have ladies -- the guys should be termed gentlemen.

I agree.

 

[allezfred]

Unless we call the men “gentlemen”, using “ladies” is inconsistent.

 

[Vagabond]

It appears to me that the inconsistency in the skating world is peculiar to English speakers and those Federations that use the ISU's English-language software. Federations operating in other languages seem to have no difficulty in using the same level of politness for both sexes:

Austria: Herren (Gentlemen), Damen (Ladies), Knaben, Mädchen
Czech Republic: Seniori, Seniorki, [Juniori], Juniorki
Estonia: Mehed (Gentlemen), Naised (Ladies)
Estonia: Miehet (Men), Naiset (Ladies)
France: Messieurs (Gentlemen), Dames (Ladies)
Germany:Herren, Damen
Hungary: Férfiak (Men), Nõk (Women)
Switzerland: Herren, Damen

 

[Jeschke]

In other languages (like German which uses Frau and Frauline) when does it change? How old do you need to look?

'Fräulein' is non-existent anymore.

It had nothing to do with age but with marriage status. You were called 'Fräulein' as long as you were unmarried, regardless of age.
The formal term was kicked sometime in the 70's afaik.

 

[starrynight]

'Fräulein' is non-existent anymore.

It had nothing to do with age but with marriage status. You were called 'Fräulein' as long as you were unmarried, regardless of age.
The formal term was kicked sometime in the 70's afaik.

Thanks! Sorry for my atrocious German spelling by the way.

I was taught it at school in the 2000s, but I think foreign language teaching is probably always decades behind the country of origin. I think a lot of our books were really old (like pre fall of the Berlin wall old).

It appears to me that the inconsistency in the skating world is peculiar to English speakers and those Federations that use the ISU's English-language software. Federations operating in other languages seem to have no difficulty in using the same level of politness for both sexes:

Austria: Herren (Gentlemen), Damen (Ladies), Knaben, Mädchen
Czech Republic: Seniori, Seniorki, [Juniori], Juniorki
Estonia: Mehed (Gentlemen), Naised (Ladies)
Estonia: Miehet (Men), Naiset (Ladies)
France: Messieurs (Gentlemen), Dames (Ladies)
Germany:Herren, Damen
Hungary: Férfiak (Men), Nõk (Women)
Switzerland: Herren, Damen

I actually quite like the idea of calling it 'gentleman's'.

 

[Miezekatze]

'Fräulein' is non-existent anymore.

It had nothing to do with age but with marriage status. You were called 'Fräulein' as long as you were unmarried, regardless of age.
The formal term was kicked sometime in the 70's afaik.

Yeah and if you still use the term "Fräulein" now, it would definitely be considered very old-fashioned if not potentially sexist, depending on the context I guess.

Even though when I went to kindergarden in the 80s in West Germany we'd still call the nurses "Fräulein Lastname", which oddly was regardless of their marital status though

 

[starrynight]

I personally actually still use the title 'Miss' ... Never hurts to advertise ... just in case! (Although lots of forms increasingly don't offer Miss as a choice).

And if anyone wants to judge me for that, well, that's a them problem. But of course I totally understand why people like using non-martial titles. I suspect if I was married, I probably would too.

 

[hanca]

Even though when I went to kindergarden in the 80s in West Germany we'd still call the nurses "Fräulein Lastname", which oddly was regardless of their marital status though

Wasn’t the same in the UK in schools? Calling the teachers Miss? I think that was also regardless of their married/unmarried status.

ETA: I guess it is better than what we did in my childhood, addressing the teachers ‘Comrade teacher’ (and not adding name or surname, just comrade teacher on its own. Now it is Mr teacher/Mrs teacher (regardless whether the female teacher is married or not).

 

[just tuned in]

I call public bathrooms this way: men's room + ladies' room. Do you know anyone who refers to a public bathroom as the "women's room?"

There are dozens, if not hundreds of stand-up comedians and linguists who have discussed the usage of "ladies" vs "women." I feel sexual connotations with the word "woman." When I hear the word "woman" my mind goes immediately to her child-bearing potential.

 

[marbri]

I call public bathrooms this way: men's room + ladies' room. Do you know anyone who refers to a public bathroom as the "women's room?"

There are dozens, if not hundreds of stand-up comedians and linguists who have discussed the usage of "ladies" vs "women." I feel sexual connotations with the word "woman." When I hear the word "woman" my mind goes immediately to her child-bearing potential.

I find most people I'm around just ask where the bathroom or washroom is, then when you get there you just look at the picture on the door and decide which suits you

 

[allezfred]

I call public bathrooms this way: men's room + ladies' room. Do you know anyone who refers to a public bathroom as the "women's room?"

There are dozens, if not hundreds of stand-up comedians and linguists who have discussed the usage of "ladies" vs "women." I feel sexual connotations with the word "woman." When I hear the word "woman" my mind goes immediately to her child-bearing potential.

You might want to see someone about that....

 

[just tuned in]

You might want to see someone about that....

I think it stems from when I (and my age-mates) first got our periods. It was a common thing to hear, "You are a woman, now." It is creepy, for sure.

 

[barbk]

I think it stems from when I (and my age-mates) first got our periods. It was a common thing to hear, "You are a woman, now." It is creepy, for sure.

Evoking one of the creepier Neil Diamond songs - Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon
Girl, you'll be a woman soon
Please, come take my hand
Girl, you'll be a woman soon
Soon, you'll need a man

 

[haribobo]

Anyway I am weary of this discussion. When do we get GP assignments?

 

[gkelly]

I call public bathrooms this way: men's room + ladies' room. Do you know anyone who refers to a public bathroom as the "women's room?"

Marilyn French