Shannon in Kansas City YT: Shannon's Bible Study IG:@showmeshannon

I watched “I, Tonya” over the weekend. The film starred Margot Robbie as figure skater Tonya Harding and Allison Janney played her mother LaVona. Allison Janey won an Oscar in 2018 for her work. I enjoyed the film and I recommend it. “I’ Tonya” is great to watch with a friend because it inspires a lot of great conversation.

“I, Tonya” is about scandalous, controversial and legendary figure skater Tonya Harding. Tonya is most known for the attack on Nancy Kerrigan at a skating competition in the 90s despite making figure skating history by being the first woman to land a triple axel in competition.

The movie is about Tonya’s life and I learned a lot about her. This movie presents her as a sympathetic character. If the movie is true Tonya had nothing to do with the attack on Nancy Kerrigan. Tonya was three people removed from the attack on her competitor and she suffered the greatest penalty. Tonya was banned from figure skating.

There are several under currents to I’Tonya. The movie has sub plots about class, image, gate keeping, motherhood, domestic violence, relationship dynamics between successful women and their partners and what the proximity to fame does to people. I want to point out that Tonya never even had money. She just had talent and fame.

I watched a lot of figure skating when I was growing up and I remember Tonya Harding well. I remember commentators using unflattering language when talking about Tonya. She wasn’t treated fairly and I knew it as a teenager before the attack on Nancy Kerrigan. Tonya wasn’t from a well to do background but skaters from Easter Europe probably weren’t well to do either and they didn’t face the same treatment and harsh words as Tonya.

I think Tonya was different because she confronted judges about low scores face to face. There was a scene in the movie where Tonya waited for a judge in a parking garage and asked him about unfair scores. She was likely hated for her attitude. I have always loved her for it.

I remember watching Tonya in the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics. I was on pins and needles. I was pulling for Tonya and I remember the shoe string debacle. I think someone tampered with the string. There was a scene where she mentioned the blade to her skate being lose. I think someone tampered with her blade. I wouldn’t be surprised if the attack on Nancy Kerrigan came from outside of her circle of small town acquaintances. The authorities of figure skating wanted Tonya gone.

Tonya Harding had complicated family dynamics to say the least. Her mother was a complicated character. Lavona believed in Tonya, fought for Tonya and sacrificed for her. We would not know Tonya Harding if it wasn’t for Lavona Golden She also resented Tonya and seemed envious of her success. Lavona ultimately betrayed Tonya. They live in the same area but haven’t spoken in decades. I can’t say that I blame Tonya for that.

I’Tonya is a great movie and it seems to give Tonya Harding justice. It would be great if the makers of this film make a film called I’Surya for French figure skater Surya Bonaly. Her mother was an interesting and mysterious character and she also faced bias from judges and the figure skating establishment.