Remember when sexism ended, and everyone was equal, and women received the same salaries for jobs as men did, and female athletes weren't reduced to their physical appearances? Oh... oh wait... that didn't happen. Women are still paid less for the same jobs, women are still harassed, women are still considered inferior — and the talented athletes among us (I am not one of them), despite having made amazing strides for women in sports, continue to receive backlash. Just check out some sexist tweets about the Women's World Cup, and keep in mind, these are just a sample of what's out there.
Sometimes, it isn't even backlash. Instead of focusing on athletic ability or, you know, anything actually relevant, viewers on Twitter have been commenting on everything from female players' blonde hair to chipped nails. This group of tweets are either sexist to the point of making you wanting to bring the patriarchy down right this minute OR pointing out the sexism of others. Either way, it's clear that no matter how well female World Cup players play and how hard they work, they still have to deal with the same old barrage of sexist comments about their appearances and their supposed inability to concentrate on the game. So ignore the haters, ladies; these sexist tweeters have nothing on you.
You know what else is shocking? The fact that this is what you're choosing to pay attention to.
And I think I'd prefer it if you didn't fetishize.
You tell 'em!
1. Talent2. Sports
This sport is lost on you.
Andy Benoit apologized for the tweet, but I'd say it's a bit late.
He apologized, too, but why say it at all?
Read: "I pay attention to women's body parts instead of the game they've been working hard to train for."
How long did that tweet take you?
The dark, sexist depths of the Internet are a scary place. Women in sports are held up to impossible standards — standards that often aren't pertinent to the sport they're playing. But through it all, they hold their own, and we should be supporting and celebrating them. So, to avoid ending on a note of misogyny without any call to action, here's a bonus tweet:
