Female Sportscasters/Journalists and their Tweets

[Cachoo]

Or rather the tweets they receive: Here random men read the tweets to "targets" who have already seen the tweets. In a weird way this gives me hope. The reaction of the men reading to them gives me hope that the trolls are not winning.


https://youtu.be/9tU-D-m2JY8

 

[PeterG]

ACK! Your thread title is kinda mis-leading! More warning is needed for the horrific crap we're about to endure. Of course, it's nothing compared to what these women have had to face. How horrible!!

This is a great video, but I think everybody involved in the making of it are oblivious to some important factors. Bringing in a bunch of middle-class white dudes to read tweets which are on a level of something they've probably never even thought of misses the point. So to say at the end of the video, "you wouldn't say it to their face...why say it online" is the work of some confused people. At the most, these types of guys might have said "what a bitch" to somebody online, but it would have been in regards to something other women would have said about the female posting as well. Instead, the type of man who posts these horrific tweets are the result of some sort of abuse in their life and they're acting out that abuse towards other. If we don't address how many are abused, how can we expect them to act differently? One form of abuse, which affects both genders of course, is poverty. Places in the world that don't have a minimum wage, so people have to work multiple jobs at horrible wages. And even then they're barely getting by. And they see women being successful in a "guy" place (sports) and that just sets everything up for them to vent.

I find it sooo frustrating when projects like this focus on the surface issues and don't get to the root of the problem...the place where real change will start to occur.

 

[Johnny_Fever]

I'm not condoning the negativity, but doesn't it have to start with something? Are the sportscasters saying things that the tweeters don't agree with? I've heard people say that Erin Andrews doesn't always know her facts. I've heard women say this. I couldn't tell you if she does or doesn't. I don't know a halfback from a hole in the ground.

 

[genevieve]

Bringing in a bunch of middle-class white dudes to read tweets which are on a level of something they've probably never even thought of misses the point. .... At the most, these types of guys might have said "what a bitch" to somebody online, but it would have been in regards to something other women would have said about the female posting as well.

You are making some BIG assumptions there, which I think misses the point of this video.

 

[PRlady]

You are making some BIG assumptions there, which I think misses the point of this video.

Exactly. I'm not a sportscaster but I tweet in a highly-charged controversial world. I block guys for calling me a Kapo C**T and other niceties. And women I know and respect who are policy experts on Israel/Palestine are not just attacked for their views, that happens to everyone, but are threatened with violence and ridiculed.

Being a woman on social media is not a fun job.

 

[PDilemma]

I'm not condoning the negativity, but doesn't it have to start with something? Are the sportscasters saying things that the tweeters don't agree with? I've heard people say that Erin Andrews doesn't always know her facts. I've heard women say this. I couldn't tell you if she does or doesn't. I don't know a halfback from a hole in the ground.

If a female sportswriter gets a fact wrong, an appropriate tweet would be a polite correction of that fact. It doesn't matter what these women say or don't say, sexist names, insults, and threats are never an appropriate response. To anyone. For any reason.

 

[Johnny_Fever]

If a female sportswriter gets a fact wrong, an appropriate tweet would be a polite correction of that fact. It doesn't matter what these women say or don't say, sexist names, insults, and threats are never an appropriate response. To anyone. For any reason.

Aha! So you admit someone got a fact wrong. What online conversation doesn't end in insults these days? Have you looked at the comments below YouTube videos lately? No matter what the topic is, people invariably start taking personal shots at each other.

 

[PDilemma]

Aha! So you admit someone got a fact wrong. What online conversation doesn't end in insults these days? Have you looked at the comments below YouTube videos lately? No matter what the topic is, people invariably start taking personal shots at each other.

So your defense is now "everybody is doing it"???

Are you 12?

 

[Johnny_Fever]

So your defense is now "everybody is doing it"???

Are you 12?

I rest my case.

 

[PeterG]

You are making some BIG assumptions there, which I think misses the point of this video.

The point of the video to me is that societal hated towards females is wrong and must stop.

Aha! So you admit someone got a fact wrong. What online conversation doesn't end in insults these days? Have you looked at the comments below YouTube videos lately? No matter what the topic is, people invariably start taking personal shots at each other.

Personal shots is one thing. Statements such as "you deserve to get raped again" and "someone should beat you over the head with a hockey stick until you are dead" are a totally different thing.

 

[Johnny_Fever]

The point of the video to me is that societal hated towards females is wrong and must stop.



Personal shots is one thing. Statements such as "you deserve to get raped again" and "someone should beat you over the head with a hockey stick until you are dead" are a totally different thing.

I guess my point is.........is it really female hatred, or just hatred hatred? The internet is an equal opportunity abuser.

 

[Desperado]

I guess my point is.........is it really female hatred, or just hatred hatred? The internet is an equal opportunity abuser.

Are you on Twitter under your real name? If you identify as male, have you been repeatedly threathened with rape or sexual assault over saying benign opinions like "the goaltender should've been taken out of the game sooner"? If you identify as female, have you experienced the same and if so, what do you do to not let it affect you to your core enough to joke about it?

I follow Julie DiCaro on Twitter and the examples of posts she gets from guys make me lose my faith in male humanity.

 

[Desperado]

Oops - double post.

 

[Johnny_Fever]

Are you on Twitter under your real name? If you identify as male, have you been repeatedly threathened with rape or sexual assault over saying benign opinions like "the goaltender should've been taken out of the game sooner"? If you identify as female, have you experienced the same and if so, what do you do to not let it affect you to your core enough to joke about it?

I follow Julie DiCaro on Twitter and the examples of posts she gets from guys make me lose my faith in male humanity.

You're hanging out in all the wrong places. Just post your opinions here. Its safer. Of course, I don't know a goaltender from a hole in the ground.

 

[Cachoo]

Peter wrote: Instead, the type of man who posts these horrific tweets are the result of some sort of abuse in their life and they're acting out that abuse towards other. If we don't address how many are abused, how can we expect them to act differently?

I don't know. I remember the female reporter in Canada who endured all sorts of these slurs on the air which resulted in at least one man being fired from his job. Sometimes I believe they think it is actually funny and some of their friends, after a few beers, egg them on. It becomes "a thing" to do this to women on twitter, at games etc...and mixed in are some true, scary nutcases who might fantasize about acting on their threats.
If I'm tweeting out the reason I think the quarterback should be pulled for the second string guy I expect people to disagree with me but it is unreasonable to be threatened with rape for my opinion. And I really do believe some of these guys think these threatening tweets are hilarious.

 

[PeterG]

Peter wrote: Instead, the type of man who posts these horrific tweets are the result of some sort of abuse in their life and they're acting out that abuse towards other. If we don't address how many are abused, how can we expect them to act differently?

I don't know. I remember the female reporter in Canada who endured all sorts of these slurs on the air which resulted in at least one man being fired from his job. Sometimes I believe they think it is actually funny and some of their friends, after a few beers, egg them on. It becomes "a thing" to do this to women on twitter, at games etc...and mixed in are some true, scary nutcases who might fantasize about acting on their threats.
If I'm tweeting out the reason I think the quarterback should be pulled the the second string guy I expect people to disagree with me but it is unreasonable to be threatened with rape for my opinion. And I really do believe some of these guys think these threatening tweets are hilarious.

What you've described sounds like men who have been horribly abused. I don't think this is normal behaviour. It is horrible. As for men finding these kinds of things hilarious, I see that reaction to be like a mask that sits on top of something much deeper and very,very dark. As if the laughter is to say, "there's nothing wrong with me...look, we're laughing and having fun". I don't buy that for a second. The laughter is just their way of hiding some deep sh** underneath all of that.

I guess my point is.........is it really female hatred, or just hatred hatred? The internet is an equal opportunity abuser.

Are the men who disagree with what other men are saying being told by these males that they should be beaten and raped for their opinions? I believe that the men's messages to women are explicit sometimes about how they should be raped, but I don't read that kind of stuff so I'm not sure. If that's true, then are men going into details about how they would like to see the men they disagree with being sexually assaulted?

 

[Cachoo]

What you've described sounds like men who have been horribly abused. I don't think this is normal behaviour. It is horrible. As for men finding these kinds of things hilarious, I see that reaction to be like a mask that sits on top of something much deeper and very,very dark. As if the laughter is to say, "there's nothing wrong with me...look, we're laughing and having fun". I don't buy that for a second. The laughter is just their way of hiding some deep sh** underneath all of that.



Are the men who disagree with what other men are saying being told by these males that they should be beaten and raped for their opinions? I believe that the men's messages to women are explicit sometimes about how they should be raped, but I don't read that kind of stuff so I'm not sure. If that's true, then are men going into details about how they would like to see the men they disagree with being sexually assaulted?

Good points. And scary to think of what would happen if they do decide to act on the threats. I notice when guys disagree at some of the sports sites it is more of an "you're an idiot, wanker" etc... rather than anything violent or sexual. I think go eff yourself is a sad, common response between guys.

 

[Desperado]

I don't know how many of these men have been abused. I think a culture of women hatred stems from many different places, one example is immature young men looking at immature/problem sports stars (for example) and taking their cues from them on how to view/treat women.

I read this article this morning from DeAndre Levy about many professional males athletes, how they see women and what needs to change: Man Up

 

[clairecloutier]

I'm not condoning the negativity, but doesn't it have to start with something? Are the sportscasters saying things that the tweeters don't agree with? I've heard people say that Erin Andrews doesn't always know her facts. I've heard women say this. I couldn't tell you if she does or doesn't. I don't know a halfback from a hole in the ground.

This is just the usual "blame the victim" mentality. Those women must've said something "wrong," therefore they deserve to be subjected to online abuse (excuse me, "negativity").

Internet hatred ISN'T all the same. There is a special, disgusting, graphically sexual and sexist brand of hatred specifically directed at women.

Watch the video.

 

[PeterG]

I don't know how many of these men have been abused. I think a culture of women hatred stems from many different places, one example is immature young men looking at immature/problem sports stars (for example) and taking their cues from them on how to view/treat women.

Young men who are getting little to no direction from the men in their lives and instead take cues from strangers about what it is to be a man are males who are being neglected. Neglect is a form of abuse.

I read this article this morning from DeAndre Levy about many professional males athletes, how they see women and what needs to change: Man Up

Great article. Thanks for sharing.

 

[manhn]

I'm not condoning the negativity, but doesn't it have to start with something? Are the sportscasters saying things that the tweeters don't agree with? I've heard people say that Erin Andrews doesn't always know her facts. I've heard women say this. I couldn't tell you if she does or doesn't. I don't know a halfback from a hole in the ground.

Of course you're condoning it.

As if Erin Andrews would be the one and only sports commentator that get their facts wrong.

Jenny Kirk, for instance, has stated that she gets tweets from men showing their private parts. I'm sure Dick Button gets similar tweets.

But I'm sure Jenny is the only figure skating commentator to get her facts wrong. Even female fans say this.

 

[Aussie Willy]

Thanks for posting the clip.

Women in sports broadcasting cop so much crap when they cover mens sport. We had a very famous situation in Australia over summer where a cricket player tried to chat up a female reporter when she was trying to interview him. It was embarrassing to watch. Link below for you to make up your own mind about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1q5rXZskYk

From other male sports reporters they suggested she should have been flattered or just taken it on the chin. Online social media were even worse with examples such as presented in the initial thread post clip and it wasn't just men but women suggesting she should just accept it.

At the end of the day the rule of thumb with social media should be just never write rude things about anyone. First it makes you look like an uneducated buffoon. Second potential employers read that stuff. And third is just isn't nice. If you wouldn't want it said about your mother then you should write it anywhere.

 

[PRlady]

I don't give much of a fcuk about the tormented male souls. I just want them to stop abusing women for being women. It's pretty much a one-way street, even when some women are rude or nasty they don't threaten violence, and it has to stop.

 

[Aussie Willy]

I'm not condoning the negativity, but doesn't it have to start with something? Are the sportscasters saying things that the tweeters don't agree with? I've heard people say that Erin Andrews doesn't always know her facts. I've heard women say this. I couldn't tell you if she does or doesn't. I don't know a halfback from a hole in the ground.

I will add to the chorus. Yes you are condoning it. Nothing makes it acceptable behaviour. So until we get rid of attitudes like yours nothing will change.

 

[DAngel]

Instead, the type of man who posts these horrific tweets are the result of some sort of abuse in their life and they're acting out that abuse towards other.

I don't believe this at all.

I've seen too many hateful comments like those in the tweets and the comment section below the video to believe they are all posted by men who suffered some kind of abuse in their lives.

I believe misogyny runs deep in our society. Unlike racist comments, many people seem to find sexist comments acceptable.

 

[PeterG]

I don't give much of a fcuk about the tormented male souls. I just want them to stop abusing women for being women. It's pretty much a one-way street, even when some women are rude or nasty they don't threaten violence, and it has to stop.

If we want abuse to stop, we have to understand why it happens in the first place. At the end of the video, the wording on screen says "We wouldn't say it to their faces. So let's not type it." That's pretty much the same thing as "Say No To Drugs". That didn't work. Neither will the statement from this video.

If we don't give a f*** about tormented people, we won't see change. The abuse will continue. So this way of thinking to me is totally unacceptable.

I don't believe this at all.

I've seen too many hateful comments like those in the tweets and the comment section below the video to believe they are all posted by men who suffered some kind of abuse in their lives.

I believe misogyny runs deep in our society. Unlike racist comments, many people seem to find sexist comments acceptable.

All humans suffer abuse. Not one human has ever lived a life where they did not have to deal with abuse at some point in their life. Until we acknowledge that abusive treatment creates abusive behaviour, things will not change. So of course misogyny runs deep. So we need to figure out why and how this is imprinted on people to such an extent that they act out on it so often.

 

[Aussie Willy]

After my recent experiences with an internet dating site, I can tell you there are a lot of men out there who gave no clue about how to communicate with women. It doesn't necessarily come from a place of abuse but rather just a very strange perception about what is acceptable behaviour.

 

[DAngel]

All humans suffer abuse. Not one human has ever lived a life where they did not have to deal with abuse at some point in their life.

Everyone might face different challenges/sufferings in life, but I don't think the majority suffer abuse. Maybe we just have a different idea of what abuse is.

Until we acknowledge that abusive treatment creates abusive behaviour, things will not change. So of course misogyny runs deep. So we need to figure out why and how this is imprinted on people to such an extent that they act out on it so often.

I believe misogyny runs deep because of culture, tradition and religion, not abuse. It takes time to bring change to thousands of years of patriarchy.

 

[Japanfan]

I believe misogyny runs deep because of culture, tradition and religion, not abuse. It takes time to bring change to thousands of years of patriarchy.

ITA

 

[Desperado]

@PeterG, from what I see of your comments, the way you talk about people being abused creating abuse seems to come from a very personal place. Is it an understanding you have as well for homophobes or racists? By this I mean, is it how you understand the behaviour, but also do you show them as much understanding as you do the misogynists we're talking about here?

From what I see of the Twitter abuse, it's more about directing hatred to specific people types they don't like (gay, black, women) whom they perceive has having a power role. The Guardian did a great piece on who gets attacked: The Dark Side of Guardian comments

In my view, not every online abuser has been abused, just like not every person abused goes on to abuse others.