SPAIN. When Cristina Sanches was a little girl, she loved to watch her father fight bulls. She knew that bullfighting was a dangerous profession. And she knew that there were no women bullfighters in Spain. But she still wanted to become a matador, to follow in her father's footsteps. So at the age of 12, Cristina started practicing with cows.
Her father was totally opposed to her future plans. "It's impossible. Women don't become bullfighters," he said. But Cristina insisted. "I don't want the role of a traditional woman," she says. Finally her father changed his mind and gave in. He saw that Cristina had bullfighting in her blood. He gave her the green light to attend the most famous school in Spain to learn the ropes of bullfighting. And the he became her trainer.
Now Cristina is a star in her country. As the first female matador, she is always in the the public eye. But it hasn't been smooth sailing for her. She has been hurt three times by bulls. Also, many people are angry about her participation in the sport. Some male matadors refuse to share the bullring with her, and she often hears insults from the audience. "When I hear insults from the crowd," says Cristina, "it makes me try harder. I want those people to eat thier words."
About You:
1. Is your family opposed to any of yuor ideas or dreams?
2. Tell about a time when you were opposed to something but gave in.
3. From what you see on TV and read in the newspapers, who is in the public eye now? What do you know about these people?
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