the FAQ

One of my earliest memories is twiddling a large gold ring with mysterious inscriptions. My dad’s Grey Cup ring. He played for the Montreal Alouettes for four seasons in the 1970s.

The neighbourhood kids and I flaunted the signature Alouettes logo on the top of our hands where my dad had stamped us all, one by one, pressing down a few seconds to ensure a fine impression on our skin.

Aside from those “Alouettes stamps,” football left no imprint on me.

Dad ended up with a daughter who was equal parts horse girl, theatre kid and history nerd.

Football came to symbolize my aversions: brute force, aggressive masculinity, the disposability of bodies. So I kept it at a distance.

On the left: Hayley Chown, pictured as a toddler, in the arms of her dad, Gary Chown, who is wearing his

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