Women's soccer players protested sexual harassment and were cheered -- great... but that rarely happens

[Jilly_in_VA]

Women's soccer players protested sexual harassment and were cheered — great… but that rarely happens when athletes protest racism

Protesting is American as capitalism. However, the support your protest will — or won’t — receive in this country is always determined by the race and gender of the protesters.

On Wednesday, women from the Washington Spirit and Gotham FC came together at midfield around the six-minute mark to protest the six years it took for the NWSL to acknowledge allegations of sexual harassment against former North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley — who seems to be a terrible human being. In a report from The Athletic, Riley was accused of making a player sit on his lap during a car ride and then coercing her into sex, along with forcing players to kiss to get the team out of running laps.

The allegations have rocked the women’s soccer world, and some of them date back to 2010. On Wednesday night, the players had enough, as they were cheered and supported by fans who held up signs in the stands.

“Teams will stop play in each of tonight’s games at the sixth minute,” read a statement from the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association. “Players will join together in solidarity at the center circle for one minute in recognition of the six years it took for Mana, Sinead and all those who fought for too long to be heard.”

https://deadspin.com/women-soccer-players-protested-sexual-harassment-and-we-1847819202
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IMNSHO, not completely true. Atlanta's WNBA team initiated anti-racism/BLM protests last year when they came out with warmup jerseys in support of then-owner Kelly Loeffler's opponent Raphael Warnock's Senate run. It seems that women can get away with more than men can.

[Reader Rabbit]

1. "It seems that women can get away with more than men can."

I'd say women are more willing to speak up about things like this. The soccer players, at least, probably feel as if they have a lot less to lose. The majority of players are only making about $35,000/year and usually have to "bunk up" with local families to save on rent, as well as hold other jobs to make ends meet.

#nomoresidehustles

[Jilly_in_VA]

2. Less punishment handed out

Megan Rapinoe is still out there playing. Where is Kaepernick? Certainly not in the NFL, although he's doing okay with his other stuff.

[Sympthsical]

3. I imagine it may also depend on who's watching these sports

Women's soccer and the WNBA don't get much in the way of ratings. Certainly not in Red America. The women's soccer championship last year managed about 650,000 viewers. During their Superbowl. (The men's soccer team doesn't get great ratings either. It's just not America's sport). The WNBA averages 365,000 viewers (and that's way up this season from last). Those are failing cable news progam numbers.

People can't get upset about things they never see.

Think about the NBA. It went pretty hard on racial justice. When the NFL attempts it, they get a ton of blow back.

Why? I'd posit that the NFL is much more identified with conservatives than the NBA. Football is religion in many parts of rural and conservative America. There was some blow back with the NBA, but not nearly the shitfest that the NFL had to deal with.

Football is the sport of conservatives. Even Rush Limbaugh wanted to make a go of it.

So you're going to see a lot more reaction to racial issues being brought to the forefront of games than in other sports.

[LanternWaste]

4. You have evidence to support this assertion?

"People can't get upset about things they never see."

You have evidence to support this assertion? Or is just a slogan?

[Sympthsical]

5. Words have definitions

Like posit.

Ratings are easily findable (I googled and everything. Actually, I looked in a database).

American culture is easily observed.

I'm not sure how I feel about being followed around, relentlessly pursued by affected world-weary tutting. I'm going to go with generally amused.