And every college lineman is obese. Let's assume that 1% of female college distance runners have an eating disorder but 99% of the football lineman do. But you are worried about the 1%?
Zion actually talked about how hard it was for him to hear about people commenting on his weight and that is something that reporters should stay away from.
New Orleans Peli "That's nasty because with a lower-body injury, that dictates how you walk, that dictates how you run, how you do everyday activities and how...
I don't think it should be off-limits to ask or make comments about a female athlete's body in all scenarios. I think we can all agree high school is totally off limits for comment on male OR female bodies. For college cross country specifically, where eating disorders are well-known to be rampant, I think it should be off-limits.
Just looking at Tuohy and the others - they are so young. To me it does feel very inappropriate for a random stranger to call in with a question and comment on their bodies. It juts feels awkward.
Then the event should not be covered by sports news. Treat it like a club activity. No scholarship no free gear or travel to meets. you are right, young women at this age should not be expected to be treated like athletes/semi pro(which college is)
I don't think it should be off-limits to ask or make comments about a female athlete's body in all scenarios. I think we can all agree high school is totally off limits for comment on male OR female bodies. For college cross country specifically, where eating disorders are well-known to be rampant, I think it should be off-limits.
Just looking at Tuohy and the others - they are so young. To me it does feel very inappropriate for a random stranger to call in with a question and comment on their bodies. It juts feels awkward.
Then the event should not be covered by sports news. Treat it like a club activity. No scholarship no free gear or travel to meets. you are right, young women at this age should not be expected to be treated like athletes/semi pro(which college is)
I have question here. I thought it was now ok for collegians to gain financially. So are college runners allowed shoe or advertising dollars?
Rojo is a dipstick for asking this question. Like most males, they really don't get what it's like being a woman and objectified from grammar school on up .They are dense ; caught up in their own masculine view of the world .I remember when Dwight Stone got all defensive after Allie O's righteous comments saying " I am on your Side "...oh really ...sheesh.They don't get the struggle so many women runners have with eating disorders and body image .So pointedly asking Parker about her body was unbelievably crude . So many men responding to this post are trying to compare women and men as equal when it comes to their body image . It's as different as Venus is from Mars .He was also inferring that she was doping. Rojo go back to your cave.
In this context, yes. He wasn't being weird or sexual, just noting an observation that could be related to athletic performance.
If your knee jerk reaction is to get offended and assume some sexual implication made by that comment, perhaps you're the one with some repressed thoughts that you're projecting.
It's not presuming that it's about sex, it's that a lot of these athletes are riding a razor's edge and many fall into eating disorder territory.
This reporter, you, and I don't need to add any pressure that could tip an athlete into unhealthy eating habits.
There's a lot to comment on in this sport (preparation, mileage, race tactics, form, team dynamics, coaching, etc.) At the college level let's leave out physical appearance.
Well if he commented on how thin she looked, I would agree with you that Valby or her opponents might react with insecurity and disordered eating habits. Gaining muscle, however, requires the opposite of unhealthy eating though. You have to maintain at least a neutral caloric balance, if not a calorie surplus, and eat lots of protein which is exactly what athletes need!
So no, nothing the reporter said was rude, offensive or promotive of unhealthy eating habits. Tuohy and others here are overreacting, and the reporter has nothing to apologize for.
For college cross country specifically, where eating disorders are well-known to be rampant, I think it should be off-limits
Quoting this for emphasis.
Reading through this thread, I'm sincerely stunned. I had no idea that so many (or even most?) people wouldn't understand why the question was problematic. It's not about sex, it's about body image and the health of female athletes. The poster in another post who estimated that 1% of female college XC runners have eating disorders... wow. Someone has clearly never been around a high-level women's XC team.
And all the posters going on about how they'd be flattered if someone asked them that question: congratulations. You're a hero. You're also not a 20-year-old woman training at an elite level in a weight-bearing endurance sport. You don't get why it's a problem. You don't need to get why it's a problem. You just need to respect the people - like Tuohy - who are telling you that it's a problem *for them*.
great point above. males do not understand. women's sports get ridiculed for being lame, then as soon as the women become noticeably muscular they get PED accusations. plus the constant body scrutiny from age 13 up, etc. etc.
all she said was "damn" and you're having a meltdown. get over it.
Why is it wrong? Muscle is a key ingredient with all athletes and almost all sports. Men are asked about it every day. It is a key part of any discussion. She is being a snowflake.
Rojo is a dipstick for asking this question. Like most males, they really don't get what it's like being a woman and objectified from grammar school on up .They are dense ; caught up in their own masculine view of the world .I remember when Dwight Stone got all defensive after Allie O's righteous comments saying " I am on your Side "...oh really ...sheesh.They don't get the struggle so many women runners have with eating disorders and body image .So pointedly asking Parker about her body was unbelievably crude . So many men responding to this post are trying to compare women and men as equal when it comes to their body image . It's as different as Venus is from Mars .He was also inferring that she was doping. Rojo go back to your cave.
No this is not a reporter saying you look masculine or you should look more feminine or you are pretty, it was a clear comment on the athletic not the appearance. The inability to not see that, is someone coming from a point where they are judging all questions and comments BEFORE they are even made and not just listening to the question
I'm also of the opinion that we should be able to ask athletes about muscle gain, but I'll play devil's advocate here.
You can't just say it would be fine for a male athlete so it should be fine for a female athlete you have to have consider context. Far more often women are valued based on their appearance, and it's not healthy. So what may be fair play for Zion, Lebron, or even just a random college dude, comes across differently for women.
It's no different than the Wayan brothers making a movie called White Chicks but put a white person in blackface, even with no ill intentions, and most of us find it offensive because we understand historical context.
So while I would not be offended by being asked if I put on muscle, seeing a woman get offended - OK, it's not unreasonable to me if I try to be empathetic and see it from her point of view.
For college cross country specifically, where eating disorders are well-known to be rampant, I think it should be off-limits
Quoting this for emphasis.
Reading through this thread, I'm sincerely stunned. I had no idea that so many (or even most?) people wouldn't understand why the question was problematic. It's not about sex, it's about body image and the health of female athletes. The poster in another post who estimated that 1% of female college XC runners have eating disorders... wow. Someone has clearly never been around a high-level women's XC team.
And all the posters going on about how they'd be flattered if someone asked them that question: congratulations. You're a hero. You're also not a 20-year-old woman training at an elite level in a weight-bearing endurance sport. You don't get why it's a problem. You don't need to get why it's a problem. You just need to respect the people - like Tuohy - who are telling you that it's a problem *for them*.
Here's how Parker, an intelligent, independent lady with class, would have responded if she was actually offended - "Thanks for the question but I don't feel comfortable with that comment about my body because so many women in cross country have eating disorders etc"
I'm not sure what's with the sanctimonious white knighting; quite frankly it's 2022 and people aren't going to get shamed into doing things without a proper reason. I can explain how being self righteous is detrimental to any causes you're promoting but I suppose you "don't need to get why it's a problem"