Welcome to 2016 … or if you’re a woman, is this 1916?
Just consider these past weeks. A federal government minister has resigned after a night on the drink in Hong Kong where he made a female consular official uncomfortable with his remarks and behaviour. The woman’s privacy has been violated after the ex-minister Jamie Briggs circulated photos of her that ended up in the media.
The immigration minister, Peter Dutton, branded journalist Samantha Maiden a “mad fucking witch” after she commented on the Briggs affair.
Now we have this: star West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle during an interview at the Big Bash League with Channel Ten reporter Mel McLaughlin: “Hopefully we can win this game and we can have a drink afterwards … don’t blush baby.”
McLaughlin: “I’m not blushing.”
Commentary box response (muffled snickers and barely suppressed laughter): “One of the more extraordinary interviews you’ll ever see on network television, Mel McLaughlin with an amorous Chris Gayle, well done Mel I thought you handled that very well, as she scurries off with bright red cheeks.”
Scurry off? Bright red cheeks?
If her cheeks were bright red it was not because she was embarrassed and blushing but more likely because she was angry. Angry because as a professional doing her job McLaughlin would have expected the same standards from the supposed professional she was interviewing.
Clearly some men just don’t see women as equals. (I can hear the clicking keyboards of outrage from offended readers now. “I’m not a sexist but ...”)
Whether they be politicians or athletes or many professions in between, some men still believe women have a place. That place is not as an equal, or a professional, but as some kind of boxed-in subordinate to satisfy what they want, when they want it. Step outside that box and wait for the reaction.
After becoming prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull declared Australia needed a “cultural change” so that we become known as a country that “respects women”.
It’s not going too well, is it Mr Turnbull? Your own ministers are not even listening to you.
Whether it’s Jamie Briggs or Peter Dutton or now Chris Gayle, with each of these incidents the reaction is the same. The spotlight turns from the initial crude behaviour – the problem itself – to the women involved and their reactions.
Because Samantha Maiden accepted an apology and got on with doing her job does not mean the issue has been addressed.
Because Mel McLaughlin got on with doing her job does not mean such offensive propositions will not happen again.
Many of those on Twitter who have objected to this sort of sexism have been inundated with abuse – told to get a life, laugh at a joke, move on.
It’d be terrific to have a life that is at least equal to others. We would laugh if it was a joke, but it’s not, it’s a kind of sickness where the female form comes with an entire set of predetermined ideas about what it’s good for.
As for “moving on”, 2015 has shown that many women have, despite the behaviour around them.
The Matildas moved on. They cancelled a tour to the US until Football Federation Australia addressed their measly levels of pay.
Jockey Michelle Payne moved on. Despite a number of owners calling for her to be dumped in favour of a male jockey she became the first female to win the Melbourne Cup.
It’s incredible to think that more than 110 years after the founding of the suffragette movement, women are still fighting old battles.
The head of the Big Bash League, Anthony Everard, said Gayle’s conduct during the interview was “disrespectful and simply inappropriate” and that the league would be “talking to him” about it.
Aren’t we past talking?
After all, we have a prime minister who at the end of 2015 was talking all about respect for women and a cultural shift.
It seems talking is not enough. When will the attitudes change?
Payne probably said it best: “I want to say to everyone else, get stuffed, because women can do anything and we can beat the world.”