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Because She Had It Coming, Right?

G.D.

A few weeks ago, someone posted a video online of Erin Andrews, an ESPN sideline reporter, in the nude in a hotel room. The video was taken without her knowledge, and the whole incident has left her understandably shaken. She has said she will sue the person responsible, as well as anyone that spreads the video (a list which would presumably now include the NY Post, whose reporters ESPN has summarily banned from the network in response).

And then Christine Brennan of USA Today weighed in, suggesting that Andrews beared responsibility.

On the Erin Andrews situation, a quick thought for those who have asked: There are hundreds of women covering sports in this country who haven’t had this happen to them. I wish it didn’t happen to Erin, but I also would suggest to her if she asked (and she hasn’t) that she rely on her talent and brains and not succumb to the lowest common denominator in sports media by playing to the frat house.

Got that, folks? She was a tease who brought this violation on herself.

*headdesk*

20 thoughts on Because She Had It Coming, Right?

  4. This is one of the craziest things I’ve seen in a while. And I’m used to crazy.

    Look out, ladies! If you’re naked in your hotel room, you’re asking for it! Heard it here first! Wear a burqa by yourself or THEY might film you!

    Because we all know that being a self-righteous jerk when someone else gets exploited is the best way to show you care, right?

    right?

  5. I see several issues, most not related to feminism.

    1) Right to privacy – Male or female, GLBTQ, etc., when you have paid for a space with implicit privacy, you should be able to expect it and mark it a trepass, at the very least, when you are deprived of that.

    2) Nudity – I wish society would get over it’s affectation that should people cover up. I also wish it would get over it’s affectation that anyone “caught nude” AND “caught sexual” should have reduced status. It’s not as though homo sapiens sprung, full formed, with a sense of shame about it’s nude body.

    3) Even allowing for a normal measure of prurient interest, it should be manifest and clear that nudity and sexuality are totally orthogonal to productivity, care and most other human traits. There is nothing about her being a woan, nude, or anything else that establishes anything one way or another about her talents. Could we PLEASE start measuring people by real and useful variables?

  6. And the comments there started out condemning the author and then devolved into a discussion about whether Andrews really was asking for it and whether she’s hot enough to be violated in such a manner to begin with.

    Gee, I cannot imagine why women haven’t achieved equality yet.

  7. “I also would suggest to her if she asked (and she hasn’t) that she rely on her talent and brains […]”

    I think she may have skipped a few cars in the train of thought, there. I’m completely failing to see how her advice would prevent someone from deciding that they have a right to film her without consent or knowledge in a private setting.

    It’s like “Phase 1: Present yourself as professionally asexually as possible. Phase 2: ? Phase 3: Men stop thinking they get to treat you like a sex object.” Maybe she thinks if you come off as smart enough, men get cognitive-dissonanced into thinking you’re not really female?

  8. Holy WTF…. let’s recap:

    1) Because not all female sports journalists have had nude videos of themselves posted online, those that have are doing something wrong. Blame the victim much, Ms. Brennan?

    2) Because Erin Andrews had tits or wev, she was “playing to the frat house” rahter than using her talent and brains.

    This last point has me flabbergasted. I haven’t seen much discussion of Ms. Andrews’ talent, presumably because most feminists believe (rightly so) that this is irrelevant, and the rest of the world appears to assume that anyone in Erin Andrews’ position must not be good at her job. Bollocks. Yes, it is irrelevant, but it bears stating that Erin Andrews was using her ample talent and brains. In my estimation as a sports fan, Erin Andrews was one of the best sideline reporters around.

    Yes, there are female sports journalists who get hired because of their looks, just as there is a much less discussed group of male

  9. D’oh… end of comment:

    Yes, there are female sports journalists who get hired because of their looks, just as there is a much less discussed group of male sports journalists who gain fame and fortune specifically because they’re abusive, vulgar jerks. It’s old hat that employers force female professionals of all stripes top play up their appearances, while the same system downplays their talent.

    I swear, if I see one more discussion of this story that overlooks the fact that Erin Andrews was actually good at her job, I’m gonna scream. Her talent isn’t relevant to the charges she’s making, but wow, the mysogyny in the coverage of this story blows my mind.

  10. This is interesting — albeit a little white-knight-ish, he really takes the majority of dudes on the internet to task for being scummy. Better than just blaming the peephole-driller or BLAMING ERIN ANDREWS HERSELF, that’s for sure. Misogynist culture ahoy.

  11. Also, how much do you want to bet that Christine Brennan is thoroughly NOT immune to misogyny in sportscasting / working as a semi-prominent public figure, and just hasn’t had it rear up in her face? It really makes me sick, that kind of “well, I play the game the right way and don’t attract fratboys” self-righteous crap. It’s not much different than saying “well, it’s horrible that you got [stalked, harassed, sexually assaulted, raped] but you should really wear a longer dress next time mmmmkay, it’s a little slutty don’t you think? Dress more like me.” ARghguhghg good luck winning that professional game of yours, Brennan.

  12. So basically, this woman is being chastised for having the gall to be good-looking and appearing in public.

    Is Christine Brennan friends with that “uncovered meat” cleric by any chance…?

  13. What gets me here is I can’t even see the logic of blaming Andrews here. If she had been filmed nude without her knowledge while with a partner I could at least understand (in the sense of following a stance back to a given set of values, not of supporting the stance or values) the logic. It’d still be utter bullshit, but at least it would have some kind of internal consistency. But I simply cannot fathom how anyone can suggest that someone alone in their hotel room could be responsible for…well…doing what people do in their hotel rooms.

    The complete lack of any kind of reason behind blaming Andrews tells us volumes about the people making these kinds of asinine statements. Its just straight up, unreasoned, reflexive disgust for an individual that can’t possibly have anything to do with the individual themselves.

  14. Also, how much do you want to bet that Christine Brennan is thoroughly NOT immune to misogyny in sportscasting / working as a semi-prominent public figure, and just hasn’t had it rear up in her face?

    Sucker bet. Sooner or later, you’re gonna get hit with the sexism stick just because you got lady-bits. Don’t think your bits ain’t in the crosshairs, lady.

  17. Not even in public – she was in a private hotel room. This is tantamount to blaming her for existing at all. Or else regarding her body as public at all times, regardless.

  19. Apparently being attractive, much less (God forbid) using your looks in your job, means your privacy can be violated anywhere, anytime. Nice world we live in.

    As for the Post, I relished how huffy they got over ESPN’s reaction. Pretty snooty attitude for a piece-of-shit Murdoch tabloid.

  20. Classic Sister F*cking – If it’s Erin Andrews’s fault, then it’s something she could have done to prevent it. That means that all I have to do is not do those things, and then that won’t happen to me. If a violation is preventable, that means I can take steps to never suffer it myself. Unfortunately, that’s a crock.

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