AFL writer Caroline Wilson, who was the subject of Eddie McGuire and company’s bullshit ‘joke’ about holding her underwater until she drowned, has rejected his weird non-apology, in which he described the comments as ‘banter’.
Speaking on 3AW Breakfast this morning, Wilson had “probably crossed the line” with his joke. “I didn’t like the language. I don’t accept that it was playful banter, I’ve got to say,” she said. This is Wilson’s first comment about the matter – a widely circulated tweet which described McGuire as ‘boorish’ was actually from a fake, parody account.
“It’s like casual racism, casual violent language might be meant as a joke, but I wonder how many times we have to draw this line in the sand between this sort of language and what is a joke and obviously what is completely unacceptable,” she continued.
Wilson believes that McGuire has it in for her because of an article she published in which she alleged that McGuire ought to be thinking about who was going to lead Collingwood after him. This apparently “burnt” Eddie.
“I think it’s a real pity because I would hope that any journo, whether they be male or female, can write without fear or favour and not get that sort of stuff in return,” she said, which is absolutely true.
McGuire had appeared on Today and in the Herald Sun attempting to provide context for his comments, which he argues were merely in the exuberant sledging spirit of the day and were only intended as banter. He’s been widely condemned for refusing to offer an actual apology to Wilson.
I don’t even consider Caroline Wilson other than being a person and being a leading light in football. It was nothing personal. In the context of what we’re fighting for, and that is that violence against women is abhorrent and we have to take the extra steps.
As we’ve said time and time again: banter is banter, but in an environment where female sports journos cop it more than anyone else and football of all major codes is routinely embroiled in harassment and sexual abuse scandals, maybe it’s time to call it a day and workshop some better jokes.
Australian women deserve a little bit better than an industry where they’re not taken seriously and are the constant butt of violent jokes. For real.
Source: The Guardian.
Photo: Getty Images.
