What's wrong with this picture? ESPN takes heat for fan sign-- Demi Tomasides, 1st period

This article revolves around a college football fan cheering on the University of Alabama outside the Bryant-Denny Stadium. He is holding up a sign directed toward their rival University of Mississippi. Seemingly okay except the sign blatantly showcased a sexist comment...and the sign was featured on ESPN's social media accounts. Needless to say, this controversy was trending on twitter within hours and it got some strong responses. On the front of the line of the Twitter battle was Emily Wright, a writer from Washington. She tweeted that it was "Utterly classless and embarrassing to feature this sign. What does this say about your brand? Integrity? Views on women?" Mind you she only had 140 characters, but I think it pretty much summed it up. She said that "We should expect more from a company with so much sway in the market". On the other hand, many came back with remarks on the lines of "Chill out, woman". Someone even responded with this picture:

An ESPN spokeswoman responded with the statement that "Our Twitter handle looks to bring the sights and sounds of the College GameDay experience to the viewer at home and reflect how the fans on site express themselves,"


Okay, so I agree with Emily on this one. It says in the article that women already have a tough time in sports. We have enough trouble as is and we are fighting to be taken seriously in a profession where, unless you are sexualized, you have no credibility. That might have been a bit of an overstatement but it definitely stems from the truth. I'm going to be completely honest here: sometimes I watch the pre-game special where all the analysts are sitting around a half circle table and drinking from empty coffee mugs that are nonchalantly product placing some chain restaurant. It's typically five guys and one woman (if there is a woman) professionally arguing about their opinions about the upcoming game. Sometimes when the woman interjects her opinion I'm like "Okay, lady, what do you know?" and then I have a megga jolt of shammed shock where I realize that I am a female who loves football and interjects her very important opinions during Sunday lunch with Dad, Uncle, Cousin, and Grandfather. I think it's sad how even if we know what we believe, the standards of society can still seep into our minds. So, yes, I completely agree with Emily Wright with the fact that in posting these kind of messages it just enhances the uphill battle of stereotypes that women are fighting everyday, not just on the field but in the office and out on the streets of the world, too. I do get that this is a college guy and that Boys Will Be Boys, but to feature it? Really, ESPN?

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