Galloway, Kathrine (2012) Faster, higher, sexier: women in sport. Curl: Property law, women and law, contemporary legal issues, 23 December 2012.

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Abstract

[Extract] Sports writers Phil Rothfield and Darren Hadland, in a 'lighthearted review of the year's sports highlights', today declared Black Caviar, a horse, as 'Sportswoman of the Year'.

Their 'Sportsman of the Year' is the Australian cricket captain, Michael Clarke.

In response to outrage on social media, Rothfield pointed out that Black Caviar is a girl and implied that the piece was funny. Unfortunately, as Wendy Harmer has so effectively pointed out, this is wrong. He is possibly wondering why so many are so angry.

First, and obviously, a woman is a human being. In fact, a girl is also a human being. Black Caviar is not a woman, nor is she a girl. She is a female horse. It is both incorrect and uncalled for to consider women and horses in the same category.

But the really offensive aspect of this ostensibly hilarious joke and the lame attempts to defend it, are that they reproduce the crippling sexism of the media in reporting women's sport. We know this article is sexist, because it would never happen to men's sport despite Rothfield's attempt to suggest otherwise. But it is also part of a much wider culture of sexism in reporting women's sport.

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Additional Information:	Curl: Property law, women and law, contemporary legal issues is the blog of Kate Galloway and is available at http://katgallow.blogspot.com.au/ (3 April 2014)
Date Deposited:	03 Apr 2014 04:54
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