I read her story - in its entirety - and was stunned at the gross details. I couldn't believe what I was reading. It was a lot to process. It's inspired me to share my thoughts on working as a young woman in sports journalism.
First, let me be clear: I have not been sexually harassed during my career as a sports journalist, or in any other capacity. I am not comparing any of my experiences to those of Amelia or anyone else who has been a victim of sexual harassment.
A woman in the boys' club
That said, I've had my own experiences that have made me realize a gap still exists in this still-male-dominated profession. This doesn't mean there haven't been strides, of course. It used to be that women weren't allowed in team locker rooms or clubhouses. There was a time before that when a woman sports reporter was simply unheard of. It was an old boys' club.
I get that, but at the same time it's hard for me to wrap my head around this concept, since I have been fortunate to have the opportunity for a career in sports journalism.
A lot of people have told me that being a woman in sports should work to my advantage. I don't necessarily think this has panned out for me personally, not to say that it doesn't happen for others. Amelia's situation brings up a disadvantage for women when it comes to this profession.
Would you say that to a guy?
Now, most of the time in my work, I feel like I am treated as an equal by men and women, like any other sports reporter. That's the goal. We're all reporters trying to get a job done, regardless of anything else. I've met a lot of great people through my work, people that treat me respectfully and trust my abilities as a sports journalist.
However, I have also been treated differently on more than one occasion, because I am a woman working in a field where men make up the majority. That's reality.
Most of the things I've noticed are light-hearted comments directed toward me when I'm at sports venues or press boxes. Nothing too specific stands out for me, because I didn't feel like I was being harassed and often didn't feel offended either. I've had comments about my purse, comments about my bag being too heavy for me to carry and really just a pat-on-the-head kind of attitude displayed from others.
The comments were just enough for me to think to myself: "Would you say that to me if I were a man?" or "They're treating me this way because I'm a woman." Sort of a it's-cute-you-like-sports kind of thing.
Nothing was said with any nasty intent. It was what I think others believed to be good-natured ribbing, with a chuckle at the end. It was enough to make me think about it, then brush it off and return to my work.
One question says a lot
Again, I've never felt harassed or unsafe, and I'm grateful for that. Perhaps the biggest issue I came across was people dismissing my abilities as a sports reporter or my sports knowledge in general. When people - not just other media or people at games but many people I talk to - learn I have an interest and background in sports journalism, there's one question I get asked more times than I can count:
"Did you play sports in high school?"I know this is meant as a totally innocent question, as I'm sure people are just curious about how I became interested in my work. Think about this for a minute though. Would you ask this question of a man? Maybe, but probably not. Because there's still this assumption, this stereotype, that men have played sports and have a knowledge of them. It's not unusual, right? Sports can still be labeled "a guy thing," despite all the progress women have made.
I've gotten pretty good at my answer to this question over the past few years:
"I played tennis in high school but wasn't very good, (I finally made varsity my senior year.) and I don't consider myself much of an athlete. I'm much more of a spectator. I love to watch sports. When I got to college, I found out I really loved to write about sports, too."Being an athlete shouldn't matter
Maybe I should change that answer. Maybe I should challenge those who ask and say something like, "What does me being an athlete have to do with my ability to do my job as a sports reporter? Is this a prerequisite?"
I'm not that bold, at least not yet. So what might an appropriate question be? I don't have a magic answer. Maybe asking how I got my start or what I enjoy about my job. Something that you would also ask a male sports reporter. I know people are well-meaning, polite and interested. I just think there could be a better way.
Think about this: Is every male sports reporter an athlete? I'd say no. Many are probably just like me, sports fans who love to write.
I love sports, and I've learned a lot by watching and reporting. There's always more to learn, for anyone, but I don't think also being an athlete, or one's gender, should factor in to the credibility of a sports reporter.
Black, white and gray all over
Sunday night, I spent a solid 1-1/2 hours scrolling through Twitter on my phone after Amelia's story was posted. I didn't send out much on Twitter; I mostly looked at others. I sent messages back and forth with sports journalist Keith Leventhal. We discussed how this issue is both black and white, and also gray. The sexual harassment is black and white; Teague was wrong, and his actions make me angry and sad.
The gray area is male sports reporters finding a balance in treating female sports reporters with respectful chivalry while at the same time treating them as equals in the profession. For example, if a male reporter in the locker room pushes a female reporter out of the way to get better access to a player the same way he would another male, that's equality. At the same time, some might argue that that is not how you should treat a woman.
See where the gray area comes in? Is it possible for women to be treated both professionally equal and chivalrously? Of course, that's just opinion. Others might disagree with this theory.
I have not met Amelia; I've only read her work. But I am sorry she had to go through this. I also want to say thank you to her for sharing her story; that took some deep inner strength. It's an important issue, and I think awareness is key.
I also communicated Sunday with Star Tribune reporter Rachel Blount, who sent out Tweets that she was harassed years ago by North Stars owner Norm Green. I think she summed up this whole situation perfectly with the Tweet below. I'll end with this:
I hope our male colleagues understand: this is not funny. It's scary. It's horrifying. And women need your support to make it stop.
— Rachel Blount (@BlountStrib) August 10, 2015
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