Ok, what's up with THAT?
A local weekly mag The Montreal Mirror, is a huge promoter of shows and events in Montreal. I love the MIrror, I read it every week, and it's a great place to see upcoming concerts and to hear about artsy shows and city goings-ons. They promoted my team last year and I thought they were awesome for being into roller derby!
This week, a reporter named Chris Barry did a PEOPLE profile of Ashley Thudd, the co-captain of La Racaille, a team for MTLRD.
The questions were all cool, and then he asked Ashley Thudd how hard it was to secure a spot on the in the league. She told him it was pretty easy for her, (she is an awesome skater), but that it does have some basic requirements. His next question made me gasp in shock.
I apologize if you are offended by reading this, but you won't understand the level of my outrage without the question.
He said: "Is one of them [meaning the requirements] superior cunnilingus skills?"
I wrote him this calm and un-offensive response.
But inside, I have to say I am completely outraged at the level of crudeness and disrespectfulness displayed. The Mirror may be a free mag and it's focused on the music, arts, alternative, and club scenes; there is plenty of LBGT subject matter, but this was just crossing some invisible line with me. Am I being prudish? Homophobic? I don't think so.
Let them think I'm gay, it'll keep lame guys from hitting on me, but let's leave the smut out of it, okay? Maybe it's the southern belle in me, or I'm vibing some Aretha Franklin, but all I am asking for is a little respect.
This week, a reporter named Chris Barry did a PEOPLE profile of Ashley Thudd, the co-captain of La Racaille, a team for MTLRD.
The questions were all cool, and then he asked Ashley Thudd how hard it was to secure a spot on the in the league. She told him it was pretty easy for her, (she is an awesome skater), but that it does have some basic requirements. His next question made me gasp in shock.
I apologize if you are offended by reading this, but you won't understand the level of my outrage without the question.
He said: "Is one of them [meaning the requirements] superior cunnilingus skills?"
I wrote him this calm and un-offensive response.
Hi Chris!
Thanks for including Ashley Thudd in the Mirror this week, she is an awesome roller derby player. It's great to see someone paying attention to the rollergirls of Montreal!
Personally though, why were you asking if a requirement to play is "superior cunnilingus skills"? What does personal sexuality have to do with playing roller derby?
Your interview was of a woman who happens to be an accomplished business woman, dancer, and athlete. Ashley Thudd is plenty awesome and interesting all by herself, and I don't know what sexuality she is.
With that question you just trivialized all the blood, sweat and tears rollergirls are putting into their leagues across the country. Roller derby leagues are skater owned, skater operated, and the talents of the rollergirls are what keeps the organizations running. It has nothing to do with their personal sexuality
There are some great skaters and great atheletes playing roller derby, and rollergirls come in all shapes, sizes, religions, colors, careers and flavors. The one thing they have in common is that they are all awesome, mentally and physically stong women that enjoy playing roller derby.
I hope you re-think this question in the future.
Thank you,
But inside, I have to say I am completely outraged at the level of crudeness and disrespectfulness displayed. The Mirror may be a free mag and it's focused on the music, arts, alternative, and club scenes; there is plenty of LBGT subject matter, but this was just crossing some invisible line with me. Am I being prudish? Homophobic? I don't think so.
Let them think I'm gay, it'll keep lame guys from hitting on me, but let's leave the smut out of it, okay? Maybe it's the southern belle in me, or I'm vibing some Aretha Franklin, but all I am asking for is a little respect.
Labels: interview, media, roller derby insulted, rollergirls
posted by Nia Capps at
2:31 PM
3 Comments:
The reporter responded that his question was meant to bring up and dispel stereotypical beliefs that sports women are always lesbian in their sexuality. Ashley Thudd was gracious in her answer, and did the exactly right thing to draw attention away from that a bit and point out that we are all different flavors of women.
Okay, so he meant it as a funny way to bring up people being a little closed minded against female athletes, but the crudeness in the question format and the following the societical low-minded beliefs to ask in that manner still bugs me so I cannot 100% forgive it.
I do not discuss my own sexuality because I feel that like religion, it is a personal matter between a person and their significant others and partners, like religion is between you and whatever powers, or lack there of, that you believe in, and has no bearing on anything else you do in life.
Unless of course you are the madam of a lesbian brothel, in which case his question may have applied to an interview. Otherwise, it's still lame. Help the reporter that ever asks me a question like that figure out how to edit my response.
HE ASKED HER WHAT ?
I wouldn't even know how to respond to that in an interview.
Totally inappropriate! It's like asking Mikhail Baryshnikov if he gives good head.
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