Tradition or old-fashioned: “Madames of honor are purely decorative objects”

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Sunday morning, 6 o’clock, in the village of Oberschrot in the canton of Fribourg with 1000 inhabitants. In a detached house just before Plaffeien it gets busy early on. On the kitchen table are hairdressing supplies, fixing spray, putty brushes and hairpins. Four young women sit down behind each other at the kitchen table and get the typical braided updo, which is as much part of the bridesmaid as the suit, in this case the weekday Sensler suit.

It is the first time that Olivia Maire (20), Laura Fasel (19), Martina Feyer (21) and Flavia Schuwey (18) play the role of bridesmaid. They all come from the Sense district in the canton of Fribourg and all feel connected to wrestling. Most of them have been there as helpers at the Schwarzsee-Schwinget. “It’s super nice and a great honor to be the bridesmaids this year,” enthuses future farmer Olivia Maire, who was responsible for selecting the three other bridesmaids.

Coveted photo objects

As soon as the women enter the festival site at Lake Schwarzsee at 8 a.m., they are followed by interested looks. The group in the blue-white-red costume is striking. They are complimented, mostly on their looks. “Beautiful beautiful Modis,” they said. The older audience in particular is pleased that the young women attach importance to tradition. The duties of the ladies-in-waiting are quickly summarized. Sell ​​meal vouchers – and look nice. Always friendly and with a smile on your face.

“We like to dress up a bit and the compliments are really nice,” says Olivia Maire after the lunch break. But in between the words of appreciation, the women also hear rude remarks time and time again. “Are these the live prices now?” joke two men. When selling meal vouchers, it is asked several times whether the lady-in-waiting is included for the 20 francs.

Smile and ignore

The four cannot ignore these comments. Instead, they smile and try to extricate themselves as gracefully as possible from situations that seem rather awkward. Are such statements annoying? “No,” the four agree, “We expected such statements to come. It’s not a bad thing.”

No offense intended, but incredibly sexist. A visitor to the Schwingfest sees it this way, even describing the graceful roles of the ladies-in-waiting as misogynistic, and then steps between the women to have their picture taken with them.

The question is justified whether women in 2023 may still be used purely as decorative objects. Because that’s exactly what ladies of honor are in the eyes of Franziska Ruch, president of the Federal Women’s Swing Association. “These women are highly valued, don’t get that wrong,” says the wrestler. At least for what they do: smile, look pretty, don’t say too much.

Equality doesn’t start with the bridesmaids

“When it comes to involving women more in wrestling festivals, giving them responsibility in the sporting field, the Swiss wrestling federation has a hard time.” The structures in the association are stuck, the role models are old-fashioned. But there are exceptions. On the Schwägalp-Schwinget and the canton of Vaud, the OC is chaired by women. That certainly contributes more to equality in the sport than to removing the ladies of honor. “The ladies of honor are an elementary part of any wrestling festival. You cannot abolish them’, Franziska Ruch is convinced. “After all, women do it voluntarily, it’s a huge honor for them.”

And what about dear sirs? “No one is going to fight for office,” Ruch says with a laugh. But there are also gentlemen of honor at women’s wrestling festivals. However, it could very well be that he was “still standing by the fryer in the marquee three minutes before the award ceremony”. After all, it is now standard for gentlemen to put on the Mutz, the traditional party costume, at least at the wreath transfer. So something is happening in terms of equality. This is also due to a generation change.

Someone who belongs to this new generation is Noe van Messel (21). The Central Swiss student studies economics at the University of St. Gallen and does not correspond to the typical cliché wrestler. But he also thinks that the ladies of honor are part of the traditional Swiss sport. “If we kneel before the ladies of honor when the wreath is handed over, it is a sign of great respect for the women.” He finds comparisons with, for example, the grid girls in Formula 1 inappropriate. “That’s where the women are exhibited. When it comes to wrestling, on the other hand, they represent the values ​​of the sport.”

Three kisses to the winner

Back to Schwarzsee-Schwinget. The sun has been burning for hours on the fairground. The women only wear the straw hat, which is part of the Sensler working day suit, on the back for decoration. landing prohibited. The constant smile gets tiring and the heat is not to be underestimated. But the most important moment of the day is yet to come. The award ceremony.

The young women are not nervous. Before the wrestling festival, they watched videos to see how the ceremony went. Everything works like clockwork. Olivia Maire, leading the ladies-in-waiting, lays the wreath on the kneeling Fabian Staudenmann and kisses him three cheeks. She beams. “It’s a super special feeling when such a strong wrestler kneels in front of you,” she says afterwards. Will she return to the office of decorative bridesmaid? “In each case.”

Source : Blick