Nike Tells Women to "Dream Crazier"

For its 30^th anniversary, Nike came out with an ad featuring NFL player Colin Kaepernick, who faced both criticism and praise when he began leading players in taking a knee during the National Anthem to protest police brutality against African Americans. The ad, titled, “Dream Crazy”, spurred similar responses—criticism and praise.

Now Nike has come out with a response ad, featuring Serena Williams, narrating women in sports, “Dream Crazier”. Women have had many—to use an appropriate cliché—hurdles in our pursuit to be treated equally in all levels of society, and sports has been no different. Even though women have competed just as hard and as fiercely as their male counterparts, our participation has sparked jokes, even rage, from those who think we should take a seat.

This ad, like the first, has been praised, yet also criticized. Why? Well, some feel Nike should “stay in their lane” and stick to shoes. However, using film, Nike has chosen two political topics to make statements about the troubles in many people’s lives.

What’s most remarkable about both these ads is the sharing of what makes all these people strong, true, and human. Women are just as qualified, just as deserving of being on a court, a track, in the pool, and on a field as men. We aren’t “crazy”, “emotional”, or “unhinged”. Or, maybe we are. For that matter, so are men. But, most importantly, we’re human beings putting our hearts into everything we do—just like men.

So, why can’t we just play?