Cam Newton mocks journalist: ‘It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes’
I don’t give a crap about football, nor do I give a crap about Cam Newton. But I watch ESPN and I do enjoy the fact that sports journalism has increasingly become more accepting to and for women. There were always women sports reporters, of course, although most of the pioneer women-sports-journos have some awful stories about players, coaches and team owners harassing them, ignoring them, patronizing them, belittling them or simply denying them access. Still, inroads have been made and it’s no longer up for debate: women are in sports journalism and thank god for that. But to Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers QB, being asked a legitimate question about football by a female reporter is something new, something notable, something worth mocking in a press conference.
Here's the video of Cam Newton saying "it's funny to hear a female talk about routes" http://pic.twitter.com/hd9Kg4CCeu
— Carlin & Reese (@CarlinReeseWIP) October 4, 2017
The reporter asking Newton a question was Charlotte Observer beat reporter Jourdan Rodrigue. She asked Newton “about wide receiver Devin Funchess embracing the physicality of routes and if Newton got enjoyment out of that.” Newton’s reply: “It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes … it’s funny.” That is some bullsh-t right there. It made me cringe. How many times has EVERY SINGLE WOMAN experienced that in a professional setting? In just eleven little words, Cam Newton mocked a woman’s presence in his He-Man Football Press Conference, he patronized her question, her existence and her job, and otherized her in what was presumably a room full of men. How many times has a dude done that too you? Made you feel like no one has to take you seriously because you’re a woman. Made you feel like your questions or your job are invalid because of your sex? It has happened to me. It’s happened to all of us.
Jourdan Rodrigue tweeted about the incident:
I don't think it's "funny" to be a female and talk about routes. I think it's my job.
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) October 4, 2017
And OF F-CKING COURSE there were people immediately tweeting at her that Cam was “joking” and “why can’t you take a joke” and “why are you airing this on social media, bitch.” Here’s one of her replies:
I spoke with him after and it was worse. I chose not to share, because I have an actual job to do today and one he will not keep me from.
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) October 4, 2017
This is the perfect storm of Working While Female. Step one: do your job, ask a question of a man. Step two: be disrespected and patronized by a man for doing your job. Step three: point out privately and publicly that you were being treated with disrespect. Step four: get slammed far and wide for being a bitchy snowflake who “whines” all the time and shouldn’t even be in that job. Step five: I don’t know. I hope she keeps on it. Stay strong, Jourdan.
Photos courtesy of Getty.
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