For Real – A Major Man in US Sports Fired for Making a Sexist Comment?

Is it possible that a major player in men's sports could lose his job for making a sexist remark?

Today, men's Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA) president Ted Bishop was removed from office by his board of directors for "insensitive gender-based statements." In trying to insult English golfer Ian Poulter, he called him a "lil girl." 

We remember the time when making sexist comments made a sports figure a "man," and now look at this. Will other men follow suit, and think about their sexist comments? 

Harriet sat in as a spectator on the case of the PGA versus Casey Martin, when the PGA was fighting the successful efforts of Martin to use a motorized cart in compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Has the PGA come a long way, or are they nervous about the fact that participation in golf is declining, and they don't want to turn half of the population of potential players against them?

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/24/us-golf-pga-bishop-idUSKCN0ID2JD20141024

Women - Redefine the Box the Gender Hierarchy Defines

In any hierarchy, people in lower groups are given conditions which they are supposed to follow to keep them in their lower positions. With women, much of the conditioning centers around body issues, that women aren't beautiful just the way they are. Women are supposed to understand their inferior place on the gender hierarchy by changing their real selves with make-up, unhealthy weight bodies, shaving, being in a subservient relationship with men, taking responsibility for sexual assault, and accepting that their role in life is to have children in a traditional marriage, etc.

Brazilian illustrator Carol Rossetti has created a series of supportive illustrations to help motivate women in their struggles against gender prejudices and discrimination. She recognizes that every day, females around the world hear rude and abusive words directed their way.

http://www.boredpanda.com/powerful-illustrations-showing-women-how-to-fight-against-society-prejudices/

Sports are Only for Males, You Say

Back when Harriet used to coach children's sports, it was common for the sports clothing and equipment to be located only in the boys section of the store. Girls were given the message loudly and clearly that they weren't real athletes, and that boys were the only ones who were. Even though Harriet protested, stores didn't care.

Once Harriet went into a Pearl izumi store and noticed that all the bike jerseys for young people were labeled "boys" with no thought to label them "youth." Again, girls aren't supposed to ride bikes, only boys.

Now we see that life has not changed, at least at Dick's Sporting Goods. Twelve-year-old McKenna Peterson noticed that the store shut out female basketball player from its catalogs, and wrote the company a letter about it. Dick's hasn't responded.

The article also calls out Men's Health for its sexist evaluation of women and sports.

https://www.yahoo.com/style/mckenna-peterson-dicks-sporting-goods-99651599038.html

Men Portrayed in Commercials Like Women

Role reversals are a very informative way to see hierarchies.

In the video listed below, the submissive role of women in commercials, as well as the violence depicted toward them by men, is clearly shown in real advertising.

Then, the same commercials are shown with women in men's roles, and men in women's roles. As with any hierarchy, when we replace the bottom group with a top group, and move the bottom group to the top, the situation that before seemed "normal" now looks ridiculous.

See for yourself, compliments of students from Canada.

http://www.upworthy.com/the-next-time-someone-says-sexism-isnt-real-show-them-these-shocking-role-reversal-images?c=ufb1

Seattle Replaces "Columbus Day" with "Indigenous People's Day"

Men like Christopher Columbus certainly got away with using violence to build hierarchies, killing and raping native people. But with hierarchies falling, their exploits are no longer universally admired.

Today the city council of Seattle unanimously decided to declare the traditional "Columbus Day" holiday as "Indigenous Peoples' Day" in the city, honoring the people who have contributed much of their rich history to the area. People worked for the name change because they say Columbus was responsible for genocide.

Also, last Wednesday, the Seattle School Board voted unanimously for schools to observe "Indigenous Peoples' Day" on the same day as the federal holiday of "Columbus Day." The resolution, in part,  “recognizes the fact that Seattle is built upon the homelands and villages of the Indigenous Peoples of this region, without whom the building of the City would not have been possible.” Also, the board “has a responsibility to oppose the systematic racism towards Indigenous people in the United States, which perpetuates high rates of poverty and income inequality, exacerbating disproportionate health, education and social crises.”

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Seattle-council-replaces-Columbus-Day-278298811.html

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/5/seattle-school-board-replaces-columbus-day-with-in/

IOC Adds LGBT Anti-Discrimination Clause

The International Olympic Committee has added an anti-discrimination clause to the contract that host cities must sign if they wish to be considered for future Olympic games.

Future host cities, starting with the 2022 Winter Olympics whose host city will be chosen next year, will sign a legal document saying they will follow Fundamental Principle 6 of the Olympic Charter, which reads: "Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement."

Declaring that the Olympics must prevent a replay of Sochi – in a nation with an anti-gay "propaganda" law – Andre Banks, co-founder and executive director of All Out said, “This is a significant step in ensuring the protection of both citizens and athletes around the world and sends a clear message to future host cities that human rights violations, including those against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, will not be tolerated.”

Hierarchies are weakening all over the place.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/25/olympics-lgbt-contract_n_5882078.html

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/chi-ioc-making-future-games-hosts-sign-nondiscrimination-clause-20140924-story.html

Feminism - Men, For Your Benefit Too

The Harry Potter and Bling Ring actress Emma Watson gave a speech on gender equality at the U.N. recently. She is launching her new initiative, HeForShe.

In seeking to get men to listen that feminism should be their issue too, she said,

"Gender equality is your issue too. Because to date, I've seen my father's role as a parent being valued less by society despite my needing his presence, as a child, as much as my mother's. I've seen young men suffering from mental illness, unable to ask for help, for fear it would make them less of a men—or less of a man. In fact, in the U.K., suicide is the biggest killer of men, between 20 to 49, eclipsing road accidents, cancer and coronary heart disease. I've seen men made fragile and insecure by a distorted sense of what constitutes male success. Men don't have the benefits of equality, either."

https://celebrity.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb-news/emma-watson-delivers-stirring-speech-at-u-n-204442194.html