Strap in, folks. This is a doozy.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is now probably regretting laughing in the face of a sports reporter who asked him a question about a receiver in a press conference on Wednesday, October 4.
He laughed, of course, because she was a woman, and he found it "funny" that "a female" could talk about football intelligently, even when it's her actual job to do so.
The video exists, and yes, it's extremely cringeworthy.
Here it is. Here is the moment Cam Newton evidently forgot it's 2017 and that women are full-fledged human beings who can be interested in — and yes, even work in — sports:
Here's the video of Cam Newton saying "it's funny to hear a female talk about routes" https://t.co/hd9Kg4CCeu— Jon Marks & Ike Reese on 94WIP (@Jon Marks & Ike Reese on 94WIP)1507152634.0
Women's heads everywhere exploded.
Brutal, sexist answer from Cam Newton in response to good question from female reporter. And the body language was… https://t.co/8VDAX6zvFJ— RandBall (@RandBall)1507152611.0
Jourdan Rodrigue came forward with this short response:
There are many many professions that are still difficult for women on a regular basis. Sports reporting is one of them. It shouldn't be the case, but until men like Cam Newton face the backlash they deserve for overt sexism like this, nothing will change.Some questioned why Newton was being chided on Twitter when someone should have addressed him in person. Rodrigue had this answer:
Women spend so much time just trying to do their jobs and live their lives. They so often have to truck through sexism and grossness that to make a stink about every microaggression (or even macro-aggression) would be more exhausting than just trying to move on.Rodrigue's official response is so disheartening, too.
Statement from #Panthers beat reporter @JourdanRodrigue on Cam Newton’s comments & response https://t.co/vmffxQ7Jra— Ian Rapoport (@Ian Rapoport)1507160043.0
There's no spinning Newton's shocked face as a woman was asking him an intelligent question about football.
Tons of respect for the way Jourdan Rodrigue has handled this. Just a really backward and disrespectful comment fro… https://t.co/62kA8QufLh— Mike Leslie (@Mike Leslie)1507152728.0
Not to mention, according to noted Twitter "female," @goldengateblond, Newton isn't doing so hot with routes himself.
Out of 32 starting NFL quarterbacks, Cam Newton’s total QBR is 25th. That “female” knows routes better than he does. https://t.co/f6NCEqwl1d— shauna (@shauna)1507159986.0