You’re sick of hearing the kind of reaction generated by Chris Gayle’s sideline chat up of Mel McLaughlin on Monday night?
I’m sick of it too.
Been sick of it for 32 years and counting.
Sick of hearing that sportsmen should be able to talk to you like you’re a paid groupie and if you’re not flattered, titillated and tempted by their sleazy drivel you have no sense of humour.
More cricket
» Australia still can win SCG Test
» Why Cricket Australia had to cancel Bangladesh tour
» Poor wicketkeeping the source of Lyon’s early woes
» Test cricket still has a pulse
Yes, how Gayle behaved towards one of Australia’s most respected female sports presenters has been totally blown out of all proportion.
On a scale of ‘common-or-garden jerk’ to ‘grossly heinous, groping and slobbering neanderthal’ – they’re out there, I’ve interviewed them and worked with them – I’d rate Gayle on his most recent performance just a ‘mildly irritating tosser with an inflated ego and hackneyed pick-up lines’.
Most women encounter this tiresome creature in nightclubs or bars and you can see them coming with shirt unbuttoned down the torso, heavy gold chain around the neck and self-important strut. You’re ready for it. Mel would be able to smack a good dozen of those suckers to the boundary in the space of a Marlon Samuels innings.
But this wasn’t a bar, or a nightclub, or a social setting. It was a workplace, and that’s the only reason Mel was momentarily thrown.
A massively public workplace as well, with a live national TV audience watching. That was the awkwardness of it all. You can’t say what he deserves to have said to him because you’re the professional. The grown-up.
It wasn’t that the comments were especially offensive – any female sports journalist who’s been in the game for five minutes has copped ten times worse than that off-camera or behind the scenes – they were just inappropriate and certainly not in any way an answer to the legitimate cricket question she asked him.
I tweeted at the time that it wasn’t smooth or clever, because I suspected Gayle thought it was.
That’s not outrage. Or a feminist diatribe.
It’s a comment from what I like to think is the reasonably informed perspective of someone who’s done similar sideline interviews at sporting events for more than three decades. I wasn’t trying to start a national conversation, as Americans love to call it.
I can’t believe I’m still even talking about it. But do you know why I am?
Because myself and several other female sports journalists who dared to criticise Gayle at the time were rounded on by droves of people on social media accusing us of being the problem. We got told again we need to get a sense of humour, loosen up, have some fun. Don’t be a sports journalist if you can’t handle it. You’re just jealous he wasn’t hitting on you! She’s only there for her looks anyway, right?
In the last 24 hours I feel like I’ve been shunted back to the 1980s, where Chris Gayle is not the problem.
The problem is I’m surrounded by a multitude of idiots who think it’s funny to watch a woman have to deal with an unwanted sexual advance in the workplace. A mild one, sure, but no doubt that’s what it was.
“Beautiful eyes, let’s go for a drink, don’t blush baby.”
Pardon me for not finding that thigh-slappingly humorous.
Bear in mind, by the way, that the vehicle for this alleged comedic gold is the format of the game that Cricket Australia is using to sell the sport to a family audience:
“See little Johnny, that’s how you talk to girls, she’ll be impressed and, by golly, your mates will be entertained.”
I honestly thought we’d come further than that.
Accuse me of over-reaction, but it’s the reaction I’m finding it hard to get over.
And for God’s sake spare me those zappy zingers like ‘people are dying in Syria’ or ‘what about that father who killed himself and his two sons?” or ‘a new bug that’s resistant to antibiotics has been found’ – why don’t you worry about something serious like that?
I do.
I’m actually capable of caring about more than one thing. Maybe the people who tweeted me along these lines have that capacity too, and should give it a try sometime.
Of course there are infinitely worse problems in the world than lewd comments made by cricketer to a reporter. But they are, by and large, complex problems that you and I can’t solve.
This one should be simple to sort out with tools you’ve got around the house, like decency and respect.
If you’re sick of hearing women complaining about sexual advances in the workplace, don’t make them. Don’t laugh at them. Don’t blame the people who call them out.
Oh, and put away that damn Barry White LP and come join me and a bunch of women who love sport and want to talk about it, write about it and commentate on it in 2016.
Buk
Guest
exactly
Buk
Guest
Moaman - interesting sideline comment abut public 'proposals' coercion which I agree with.
Franca
Guest
Its not a personality problem, its a gender and power problem. hence all the victim blaming, comments about Mel getting the job because of her looks, diverting the discussion to red herrings etc. It happens to women routinely.
Franca
Guest
Where did you get the idea this kind of stuff doesn't happen here? That's why we have sexual harassment laws at work!!!!
Wasim Ranamadroota
Roar Pro
EXACTLY. Why hasn't St Brendan told us what is right and what is wrong yet? He knows.
Zim Zam
Roar Rookie
Well, I'll be the first to admit that PC has gone a bit mad in Australia, but that said, I don't think this is just a case of avid feminists jumping up and down over nothing either. It was worth making a stand about, because it showed up a sort of casual sexism, in that Gayle ignored the fact that she was an actual journalist doing her actual job, and treated her like she was just there to be a pretty woman on the sidelines, almost like a gimmick, rather than a professional. Whether Gayle was a being half-serious or just going for a laugh isn't the point, the fact that it made her uncomfortable is what defines it as being inappropriate. I guess the main thing is, while it was intended to be a joke, it was also dismissive of her as a professional and showed up an underlying attitude about women in sport, which isn't universal, but perhaps is more prominent in Aussie culture than some people realised it was. It probably doesn't have to be a massive thing as long as that point gets across and there's a lesson learned.
dave
Guest
I personally know of a some beautiful happy couples that started their relationship in the workplace with a bit of flirting and an invite to afterwork drinks. I think everyone on this thread would have to know of at least one of these relationships. Should these marriages,relationships be annulled because they started in a way that was inappropriate workplace behaviour? Take out the workplace as somewhere to meet your potential partner and i would suggest the next best 2 alternatives would be alcahol and drug filled nightclubs or can of worms internet dating. Of the 3 i would consider a date made at the workplace the most healthy.
ethan
Guest
At a guess, I would say Gayle is a guy who generally knows what works...
Peter
Guest
Everyone has an opinion, but the real question remains. Did Chris Gayle ever play Rugby League?
Pot Stirrer
Guest
Talk about missing the point. Thier isnt a problem in society with sexual discrimination/harassment against men. I cringed when i saw the interview not becuase of what was said but becuase i knew the histeria from both sides of the argument that would follow. My opinion is that Gayle was only showing of to his mates and its backfired on him massivley. I mean seriously those lame lines he used wouldnt work in High School let alone some one like her.
apaway
Roar Guru
Thank you Debbie. Well said, and I apologise on behalf of a boorish male cacophony who seemed to think Gayle did "nothing wrong."
Franky
Guest
Wonder what would be said if Matt Mitcham hit on a bloke rpesenter
Matt
Guest
I'm not not condoning Gale's behaviour, but for there to be equality as you say, women should not be in the mens' dressing room at all. If it had been a male reporter in the womens' dressing room with half naked women in towels, the reporter would be accused of being a perv.
maxwell
Guest
I would have preferred him to say "I was being playful and silly and got it wrong sorry. But I was not joking that she is beautiful. I don't joke about that!"
Elton
Guest
Seen a lot of really poor comments on facebook about this. Sad that so many men still see sports as their domain where women are only there as objects to look nice.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
So it would not be sexual harassment, as there was no sexual nature of the advance (asked for a drink) and there was no conduct of a sexual nature (complimented her eyes)? However if he invited her back to his hotel room and perhaps made a more lewd comment about perhaps her body, it certainly could be construed as such?
Gazzatron
Guest
#I'lldrinkwithyou
Danno
Guest
Victorian) Equal Opportunity Act: 10 Motive is irrelevant to discrimination s. 10 In determining whether or not a person discriminates, the person's motive is irrelevant. and s 92 What is sexual harassment? s. 92 (1) For the purpose of this Act, a person sexually harasses another person if he or she— (a) makes an unwelcome sexual advance, or an unwelcome request for sexual favours, to the other person; or (b) engages in any other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature in relation to the other person— in circumstances in which a reasonable person, having regard to all the circumstances, would have anticipated that the other person would be offended, humiliated or intimidated.
BrainsTrust
Guest
Why all this talk about Channel 10 and money. Someone told me they are hoping the Big Bash can help their Channel 10 shares rise. Seems like a lot of desperate Channel 10 shareholders, my personal opinion is run while you can. The Big Bash would have to rate double in metro figures to have a chance of impacting Channel 10 share prices.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Ethan the best point made there is probably that it was only awkward, because she was so clearly not interested.