You always hear ‘black Republican,’ but you never hear ‘white Democrat.’ We’ve got to get beyond the labels and stereotypes. Other people have hang-ups about it. I don’t.

There’s such a stereotype about men and women. Obviously, people think men are faster and stronger and all these other things, and I don’t want people to get sucked into that anymore. I want them to realize that the women are out here and doing just as awesome things. They can be just as great, too.

I don’t really have routines or follow what my coaches tell me or how people want me to be: this stereotypical ‘sleep on time and set good examples’ person. I don’t really know what setting a good example is.

It was as if being a woman was a disease that you didn’t wish to catch. As long as you didn’t associate with the other women, you could imply to the majority, the men: I’m not like those other ones.