You know, as a long time association football fan and a woman, I can say that I actually knew who Hope Solo was prior to a couple of weeks ago.
I also knew about her domestic violence charges and was appalled that she was allowed to continue to represent the United States as part of the women’s national soccer team.
I can also practically guarantee that, despite what a number of concern trolls in the media are claiming, the average American would have had no idea who she was even IF she weren’t embroiled in an ugly scandal.
American professional soccer simply does not have the popularity that sports such as American football, basketball, baseball, or even hockey enjoy in the US.
Add in the fact that womens sports are even LESS popular at the national level and you have a clear, non-conspiracy-related explanation as to why many people don’t know about Solo or her case….and didn’t genuinely care about her situation until fairly recently.
Media voices call for the U.S. women's national soccer team to suspend goalie Hope Solo: http://t.co/BSfrRyak2s pic.twitter.com/Y0LdSSadIW
— Yahoo (@Yahoo) September 20, 2014
But that’s not the spin that generates clicks in a post “Men’s Rights Activism” world.
You see boys and girls, the hope (no pun intended) is that you are so stupid, you’ll honestly believe that Hope Solo’s case was carefully buried like major sports scandals involving players like Ray Rice, Ben Roethlisberger, and Warren Moon because she’s a woman.
These individuals will sputter, “In a world where women demand equality, shouldn’t the pain and humiliation suffered by THE MEN be given equal weight? For shame!”
Why isn't Hope Solo being like NFL's Adrian Peterson for domestic abuse charges [Video] http://t.co/niUnoti02w pic.twitter.com/Xdw9lnZv4J
— 101 Great Goals (@102greatgoals) September 20, 2014
You know what, folks. I imagine these are the same type of people that say that blackface isn’t something that African Americans have the right to be upset about because of that White Chicks movie.
The same people who believe that it’s perfectly alright to knock a woman out cold in an elevator and then drag her unconscious body into a lobby because “she must have done something to deserve it.”
These people seek equality about a topic where there simply is no such thing.
Do I acknowledge that domestic violence leveled at men is a serious problem? Absolutely. ALL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES ARE TERRIBLE THINGS AND ALL VICTIMS NEED HELP AND SUPPORT.
But perhaps those of us with functioning brain cells and an ability to read between the lines are more than a bit disgusted at the blatant use of a red herring involving domestic violence and an attempt to take a shining light away from women victims of domestic violence.
Yes, women can be perpetrators. But far more often they are victims.
Instead of asking why one in four women will be a victim of domestic violence in her lifetime, media outlets are instead hoping to shift the issue to get the “other side of the story” (male victimization). This allows them to ignore female victimization and escape holding male abusers accountable.
Even more startling is the need to highlight male victim-hood even as women are screaming for a conversation about why it’s okay to blame domestic violence victims for staying in abusive relationships. Excuse me, I mean blame WOMEN domestic violence victims.
Thanks to popular media outlets, we have that answer don’t we? If you’re a woman, it’s your own fault. If you’re a man, you get the benefit of the doubt as both the victim AND aggressor. How unapologetically and blatantly sexist.
Almost as blatantly sexist as the so called “all things being equal, let’s look at women abusers” tactic employed by professionals who should really know better.
Or at least, for the sake of the women who will die this year at the hands of the men in their lives, pretend as if they do.