Joe Orr Road Rod wrote:
You're really missing the point here. When people point this out it's not as a justification for the atrocious behavior of those who would wish rape on Julie DiCaro. Rather, it is simply intended to illustrate that these types of "attacks" are not exclusive to women the way DiCaro, Spain, and many others are suggesting they are. Of course, the specific insults and threats hurled at them are often tailored toward them as women, because that's what the scumbag doing the typing feels will hurt them the most. In the case of Stephen A. Smith or Jason Whitlock, they get called the n word. That isn't something likely to be directed at Julie DiCaro. Smith isn't likely to be called "fat". However, like DiCaro, Whitlock undoubtedly has been. (Whether such an epithet is more hurtful when directed toward a woman in our society is a much deeper discussion). I'm not likely to be threatened with rape or called the n word, but I have been called a "Tom Skilling-looking motherfucker". Believe me, it didn't feel good.
Well, I don't think anyone thinks they are exclusive. It still doesn't change the fact that the people who are getting attacked don't deserve to be treated like that. It's interesting to compare it to clear racism. If you feel that is a valid comparison then wouldn't this be misogyny?
There really seem to be two defenses here in regards to how she is treated.
1) Others get treated like garbage too.
2) She deserves it because of how she acts.
It pretty much jumps between those two things.
The major point here is that with either of those, she is right to consider herself attacked and a victim. Then, people get mad at her for getting mad about getting attacked. I'll use my go to example. Our good friend badrogue, upon the hiring of Julie DiCaro, immediately started tweeting at about "leaving the money on the dresser" like she was a prostitute because she was a woman going to work in the same vicinity as Dan Bernstein who had just recently said "Boobs". He probably had no idea who Julie DiCaro was prior to her being hired. Yet, almost immediately, he went to an attack that would get any woman pretty riled up. This was before the Kane stuff. This was before we even knew how good she was at her job. This was before we knew she was a "professional victim". Now, the same guy I just described tweets her pretty much every day and there is a thread on a message board complaining about her every day. Can we really blame her for feeling like she is attacked and treated unfairly? She is by a considerable margin the most vilified member of the Score since she was hired. I know we can claim that people hate Bernstein, or people say things about Spiegel, or people make fun of Laurence but Julie Dicaro dominates the discussion this board and has for a long time.
My basic point is that you shouldn't be surprised when someone feels attacked when she is constantly attacked, and saying that others get called racial slurs really doesn't change that fact.