What to men do after uttering reprehensibly sexist things?
Sexism in surf is an ongoing and multifaceted issue. Of course it weaves through so many aspects of our fair game, from objectification to second class status conferred upon women pros. The Sydney Morning Herald tackled the subject over the weekend as have many publications over the years. Surfing’s men typically bring the scorn upon themselves. Do you remember when Coco Ho was interviewed by Transworld (RIP) a few years ago and asked, “Is it hard to surf with boobs?” and “Are you scared to surf when it’s your time of the month?” Not very thoughtful questions. Dumb, in fact.
As bad as we are, though, at least we are not that fucking tennis tour. Did you read what CEO of the just wrapped PNB Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California said before Serena Williams played Victoria Azarenka in the final? I will quote!
I think the WTA [Women’s Tennis Association] … you know, in my next life, when I come back, I want to be someone in the WTA because they ride on the coattails of the men. They don’t make any decisions, and they are lucky. They are very, very lucky. If I was a lady player, I’d go down every night on my knees and thank God that Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal were born because they have carried this sport. They really have.
Oops! I don’t know that I have ever read anything as explicitly sexist as that in sport and it makes me wonder, what does an extraordinary sexist do once he has been pilloried in the press? This particular one had to obviously quit his job straight away but then what does he do? Does he shrug his shoulders and become celibate? Does he change his name and pretend those words never crossed his lips? Or is there a League of Extraordinary Sexists which opens its arms and takes him in?
Imagine it, a clubhouse tucked in the hills where elderly gentlemen can wander in smoking robes and be served by twinks, since its a bit difficult to find women with pre-1930s ideals anymore. They say what is truly on their hearts without fear of reprisal. They smile crusty smiles and read pre-2015 Playboys. Nobody cooks, nobody cleans, nobody scolds. There are many back slaps and knowing winks.
Very seriously, how does a man operate after slagging off 50% of the world’s population?
So women should get paid the same as men for pro surfing, right? Just like a lot of the big tennis tournaments….
Even Marx wouldn’t upvote himself.
every selfupvoters’ exposing deserves my upvote…
Can we also send the Inertia bro who wrote about how women’s surfers have to be pretty? I like this idea of sending them all off together to steep in the warm miasma of their sexism. They should be together! They’d get along so well!
That Stab cover is… something.
Yes! That’s what I thought this article was gonna be about!
that was a doozy, for sure.
BURN IT ALL DOWN.
Those Transworld questions were fair game. I would love it if chicks asked about my balls.
To be honest, chicks don’t really care about your balls. It’s not gonna help us surf better to know if your balls hang low – we can’t relate.
On the other hand, maybe the boobs question was fair game. I know guys with bigger chests than me, could be helpful for you guys to know what the level of difficulty is?
As for the period question, it seems rude if we’re assuming that it was posed for men’s entertainment – in which case, it is definitely rude and irrelevant. However, if we take into account that Coco Ho is a role model for many young girls, maybe that question could be seen as relevant for them.
To this article as a whole, it’s absolute bullshit that a CEO would make comments like that. I’ve never watched tennis in my life, and I know more names of women tennis players than any of the men. (I think there might be one named Andy something-thats-not-Irons?)
I would imagine that since he is about 700 years old, he will go home and slowly die.
Are we going with creationism now? Or the fact that we’re a bunch of un-evolved apes who still enjoy a jiggle of round things, thus the ghetto booty phenomenon society is experiencing?
BLB ( be like bobby) I assume that means surfing very well on your backhand raising a litter of rotwielers,and a chica holding two pistols in a sombrero tats,I’m already on this.
They should have asked Lakey the titty question
https://www.youtube.com/wat…
That angry little Brazilian man was correct about women’s surfing,he should start a go fund me for boobs.
Or what’s going with that little bobble head of hers.
Men play longer games, more people watch men’s tennis, why on earth should they get paid the same?
Payment issues aside, though, to say women tennis players should get down on their knees and thank Roger and Rafa is a bit much. No?
Yeah, out of line, serena responded in a classy fashion, the guy quit, had to go home to an awkward dinner with his wife and daughters, I’m sure he regrets opening his mouth!
WAY. WAY MUCH.
Do more people really watch men’s tennis?
of course.
Is that because men’s tennis is more enjoyable to watch, or because there’s currently more star power (Federer, Djokavic) on the men’s side? There were probably times, like in the late 80’s with Martina & Steffi, when the women’s tour carried the men. Tennis is not like surfing.
Who gives a fuck if more people watch men’s tennis? If you’re not careful I’ll send this whole thread to Bobby Martinez
Do it! We would love to hear from Bobby it’s been too long
Do!
“What the fuck is a beach grit?” – Bobby Martinez, probably.
Late eighties, Steffen edburg, boris Becker, Ivan Lendl, Jimmy Connors, John macenroe etc, but there was always that beaut Gabriella sabatenia! At times women’s tennis has been more compelling than the men’s but in general it’s not, personally in the late 90s I thought the women were way better to watch than the hard serving mark phillopisous and Greg rusesnki, but I think I might be in the minority
Uh, yeah.
Well, 10 seconds of looking proved otherwise: http://www.cnbc.com/2015/02…
Did you know that men only play longer matches in the grand slams? The rest of the year they play the same as the women. I just learned that last year.
Either by doubling down on his statements (unlikely, though possible) or by claiming he was misunderstood (how else it should be interpreted beats me). Don’t worry, Chas, there is plenty of room for him in a fundamentalist LDS community or the Christian Liberty Party.
Meanwhile, in Korea… http://tosh.cc.com/blog/201…
Now it all makes sense…that’s where they go.