Glad to See Sports Columnist Go
I just sent Jason Whitlock, a sports columnist for the KC Star (up until 8/16), the following email in response to a few articles I’ve read by him. Mr. Whitlock continues to excuse the poor behavior of some men by blaming women and I wanted to share my opinion about that-many have already commented, some quite harshly. I wanted to share my note here with you as well. Thank you.
Mr. Whitlock,
I have read a few of your articles and this last one made it clear it was time for me to write. I’m noticing a trend in them that I’m wondering if you are aware of, and one that causes me deep concern. I know you are sensitive to racial prejudice and I’m happy to see you speak out for justice. Unfortunately, as I read another article by you recently, you are not standing for justice for all. And I do believe that is important to you and you simply may not have an understanding for this one.
I think it is difficult for anyone not part of a persecuted group to truly understand what it is like for that group and so it is the responsibility of those who do feel the prejudice to point it out. And that is what I hope to do with my note. I hope to simply share some wisdom and insight about what it feels like to be part of the group of people who I believe, face the most violence in the world and ongoing prejudice.
Are you aware that women are beaten up in their homes every 15 seconds? 1/4 to 1/3 of us will be raped (worldwide and in the US) in our lifetime. 14,000 Russian women are killed each year by their husbands, more people dying each year than died in the entire Russian/Afghanistan war. More than 100 million women are missing today, more than 2 million every year due to gender discrimination. Women in the Congo face being raped every day with men justifying it with quotes from the Bible. Imagine, being able to justify your violent acts with the Bible. Sounds like what many Americans call acts of terrorism-yes?
Sex trafficking, kidnapping, married off at 9 and 10 years of age to older and oftentimes brutal men and families, baby girls aborted due to their gender, girls sexually mutilated and stoned for so-called adultery when their husbands are free to have affairs, and girls denied education and healthcare in many parts of the world keeping illiteracy and ignorance alive and well. Girls are slaves throughout the world and in the U.S. Pulitzer prize winning authors, Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, call it Half the Sky–women hold up half the sky and are denied basic freedoms, while facing violence daily, all around the globe.
White privilege is no different than male privilege and your articles continue to exhibit male privilege. You put down women in ways perhaps you are not even noticing in order to justify inappropriate power men maintain and behavior that violates women’s rights. We are not here to serve men in a sexual context or any other context. However, a couple of articles that I have read of yours in both instances sounds as though you feel that way.
I would like to suggest, Mr. Whitlock that you have an intelligent and progressive-thinking woman read them before you publish them because your articles are oftentimes perpetuating violence against women, misogyny and further denigration of womankind, given the way you have blamed women, excused inappropriate male behavior and make light of serious issues. I was raped my first year of college by the captain of the basketball team. It is not funny, it was not my fault, no matter what I had on, no matter what I had inhaled or drank or any other thought that might be coming to your mind right now. We’ve had enough of that kind of thinking. Enough!
The ongoing violence against women is perpetuated by writers, filmmakers, and TV producers every time you excuse the wrongful behavior of men and blame it on testosterone, depict another man as the hero or call him a stud and then turn around and call a woman a slut or bitch, ho or hussy. We don’t even have a positive word that I can think of for a woman that is sexually active and having her fun. Calling women these names is common practice now in mainstream media as your articles exemplify.Women are put down horribly in our world and in this country for the same things men are thought highly for. Double standards are what they are called and I don’t think you like them very much when it impacts African Americans-well at least not African American men.
I would greatly appreciate your becoming more sensitive to the horrifying circumstances so many women are living in around the world; raped, mutilated, killed, beaten and tortured at the hands of people and customs that continue to excuse horrible male behavior at the expense of our mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and daughters. Please pay a positive role in helping the world heal. It begins by ensuring our mothers, our sisters, our daughters and grandmothers are well and safe.
