Thawing the American Ice Princess

Every Winter Olympics, the United States fixates on a beloved savior: the all-American “ice princess.” Think of champions like Tara Lipinski, Michelle Kwan, and Kristi Yamaguchi, or a young Michelle Tratchenberg starring in the 2005 movie Ice Princess. 

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In both reality and fiction, the ice princess glides beautifully, and skates her way into a podium finish without struggle. Imperfection is foreign to her.

But for those of us, like myself,...