For anyone not keeping up with this story, here’s the brief background on the matter. During Wednesdays press conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, reporter for the Charlotte Observer Jourdan Rodrigue had asked the Quarterback about the teams wide receiver Devin Funchess running routes and their physicality. Newton then replied with a smile and a giggle stating, “It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes like…it’s funny.”
Rodrigue later took to the social media platform Twitter with some thoughts after Newton’s comment towards her. She wrote, “This afternoon, I did my job as an NFL beat writer and asked Cam Newton a question about one of his receivers. I was dismayed by his response, which not only belittled me but countless other women before me and beside me who work in similar jobs. I sought MR. Newton out as he left the locker room a few minutes later. He did no apologize for his comments.”
The NFL stated that not only were the comments disrespectful but they “do not reflect the thinking of the league.” Dannon, the yogurt company, which Newton had been sponsored by has now dropped his as their sponsor stating “WE are shocked and disheartened at the behavior and comments of Cam Newton towards Jourdan Rodrigue, which we perceive as sexist and disparaging to all women. It is entirely inconsistent with our commitment to fostering equality and inclusion in every workplace. It is simply not okay to belittle anyone based on gender.”
As a female whose dream it is to get into sports journalism and broadcasting, I found this story extremely dismaying. I never thought that sexism would come from the player someone was interviewing in such a public area. I try and not to see this as a step backward from females in the industry, but a step forward. It’s 2017, men can be nurses, and women can talk about football and know what the hell they’re saying. It is uplifting though that many people came to the defense of women in the industry and are not going to let this comment go unnoticed.
At moments like these I always think of the family that the man these sexist remarks goes home to. Cam Newton has a daughter and a long-term girlfriend. How would he feel if someone spoke the way he did on Wednesday to Jourdan Rodrigue, to his daughter? As a father you should encourage you child to do and be anything. I’m proud of my knowledge of sports and just because of Cam Newton’s remarks that doesn’t change my mind of the profession, it makes me want to work harder to prove people like him wrong.
Cam Newton now says that he was complimenting the young reporter and he was just being a little sarcastic and it wasn’t meant to be taken the wrong way. But, maybe next time he tries to compliment someone he should think before he speaks.
Article Used for Information: http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/20916366/cam-newton-carolina-panthers…