Women and the Masters, here we go again

So if a group of male reporters followed McIlroy into the locker room and the guard barred the one African-American guy, would we have a chorus of "Why's he complaining about this"?

 

We wouldn't, but the man wouldn't have been barred. I have no doubt this was about "morality" (I use that word because I can't think of another at the moment) and nothing else. Misplaced, but still...

 

To those wondering why the fuss, why not just quietly find someone who can fix the problem, it's just a mistake, etc:

That this happened at all means there are still people who think women can't or shouldn't go into a locker room. It's as illegal a refusing restaurant service to African-Americans. The fact that it was in error doesn't make it any less wrong.

If no one made the fuss, no one would be talking about it today, and there's a much better chance that this would happen again. Maybe at the next event, someone in charge will remember to explain the rules to the employees.

 

This was an intolerable affront to every reporter at the event, irrespective of gender and they, not just the one reporter, should make a huge stink about it. But as far as can be told, it was an affront delivered as a result of a screwup, not malice aforethought, by Augusta National. Women reporters have covered that event for years, BTW, and this is the first such case I've heard of.
That doesn't make it right or constitute an excuse, but at some point, you have to say "don't let it happen again" and move forward.

 

A black reporter would have been barred 50 years ago and many reporters would have said "What's the fuss?" Until the culture of ANGC changes, incidents like this will continue to happen.

I don't expect many reporters who cover The Masters will be outspoken on this because they like getting credentials.

Should we expect a column from Doug on this?

 

The thing is, it's not really all that isolated. I know I've been denied entry to a PGA Tour locker room, and I know at least two other women who have had the same problem. It keeps cropping up because of the private club issue, and because security guards are not filled in properly.

Most times, an embarrassed woman walks away and maybe tells an editor, who maybe tells the PGA Tour. Saying that it shouldn't happen again is status quo. And if the men in our profession don't get it, why should the PGA Tour make the media policy part of every tournament contract?

 

No arguing with this.

 

I don't this had anything to do with the culture of the ANGC.

A security guard, a temporary security guard, one of hundreds employed just for the tournament week, made a mistake. It's a mistake that never should've been made, and wasn't made prior to Sunday..

But BECAUSE OF the culture of the ANGC, it's a bigger story than if it would've happened at the U.S. Open... or basically any other golf tournament on the planet.

 

Here's the thing, Michael: You see it as a screw-up. I see it as a mindset. The same mindset that allowed Ines Sainz to be harassed. And Jenn Sterger. The mindset that female reporters don't deserve to be treated with the same level of respect and professionalism while on the job as male reporters.

You think Tara Sullivan is an isolated incident? Think again. Karen Crouse recently covered the Kraft Nabisco LPGA event and was told by a marshal that she didn't belong inside the ropes because of what she was wearing. At the time, she was wearing capri pants, a collared shirt, hoodie and sneakers. (Don't many male golf writers wear shorts, golf shirts and sneakers on the course?) When Karen mentioned the comment to the head of marshals, she was told that he probably would have questioned whether Karen belonged inside the ropes as well because her apparel, "looked different." The New York Times has sent a formal note of complaint.

They're not isolated incidents when they keep happening. Year after year. Decade after decade.

I had a friend call me to today to explain the rules/laws of locker room access. I've been answering the same damned question for over 20 years now. Excuse me if I've had enough.

 

Liz Mullen's Twitter feed was interesting to read last night - she not only addressed the outrage surrounding Tara Sullivan's denial of access at August but she also addressed the fractures within the community of the female sports media and the subjectiveness of which different incidents involving females in sports media (Jenn Sterger, Ines Sainz) were reviewed and perceived.

One post that got me: "Women sports journos need a POW WOW. This is war, if you don't get it,. God help those who stick knives in sister's backs."

 

Mullen had a point with that. All the poison around Sainz and Sterger may have helped set the clock back.

And Viv that is so right, I can't think of another sport where access for female reporters is repeatedly denied in a series of isolated events.

 

An LPGA Tour tournament hassling women sportswriters? A perfect example of retrograde stupidity. Golf IS a retrograde sport which includes many retrograde people. That sucks, since it's a dandy game otherwise. But in this particular case at Augusta, it seems that the mindset involved (I think that's a good way of looking at it) was not sanctioned by the club itself.