Gray & Keys In Sexist Row

[dom9]

I don't know about that.

I'm heartened by how much support she's had. Of course it helped she got a crucial decision right on Saturday but it's clear that many people feel Gray and Key's attitudes are so outdated that I think the media will have to be very careful with how much prominence they give her and her inevitable mistakes.

(In fact, I seem to recall her making a mistake later on in the first half with a marginal offside call against us but that seems to have been ignored by the media, so maybe self-censorship has already started. Or maybe I'm remembering wrong because I'm biased to LFC.)

And, just because of the scale of their coverage, officials' performances are focussed on most by Sky and they're likely to be extra careful about it.

Also I think the FA will probably be a bit slower in pushing her into more live games for a while (although they're bound to give her a game or two soon, just to make it look like they're not holding her back), until the fuss has died down.

That doesn't fit in with the current media driven agenda.

[Neil Young]

Honestly, I definitely wasn't being serious, and I certainly didn't want to start a debate about it.

I'll try and be more funny next time.

Like I said, I really am sure you weren't being serious.

But I did want to start a debate.

[dom9]

Like I said, I really am sure you weren't being serious.

But I did want to start a debate.

Not with me.

[Neil Young]

That doesn't fit in with the current media driven agenda.

It also wasn't as important a decision. A decision that stops the chance of a goal isn't as important as one that allows a goal (and the first goal at that). So that's also why it's not been highlighted.

Clearly lots of media (and maybe some football) people are enjoying sticking the knife into Gray and Keys but I don't think the agenda is entirely driven by the media.

[Arn]

I don't know about that.

I'm heartened by how much support she's had. Of course it helped she got a crucial decision right on Saturday but it's clear that many people feel Gray and Key's attitudes are so outdated that I think the media will have to be very careful with how much prominence they give her and her inevitable mistakes.

(In fact, I seem to recall her making a mistake later on in the first half with a marginal offside call against us but that seems to have been ignored by the media, so maybe self-censorship has already started. Or maybe I'm remembering wrong because I'm biased to LFC.)

And, just because of the scale of their coverage, officials' performances are focussed on most by Sky and they're likely to be extra careful about it.

Also I think the FA will probably be a bit slower in pushing her into more live games for a while (although they're bound to give her a game or two soon, just to make it look like they're not holding her back), until the fuss has died down.

The FA also have a big problem with this. It should be a lot more female referees out there. At least 30%-40% of the assistant referees should be female. I can understand if no referee isn't female because then stamina etc comes into the equation.

Name one good reason to why 30%-40% of the assistant referees shouldn't be female. As I said, Sky isn't the only one that need to change their attitude.

[dom9]

The FA also have a big problem with this. It should be a lot more female referees out there. At least 30%-40% of the assistant referees should be female. I can understand if no referee isn't female because then stamina etc comes into the equation.

Name me one good reason to why 30%-40% of the assistant referees shouldn't be female. As I said, Sky isn't the only one that need to change their attitude.

Err, are that many women actually interested in being football officials?

[fah-q]

I don't know about that.

I'm heartened by how much support she's had. Of course it helped she got a crucial decision right on Saturday but it's clear that many people feel Gray and Key's attitudes are so outdated that I think the media will have to be very careful with how much prominence they give her and her inevitable mistakes.

(In fact, I seem to recall her making a mistake later on in the first half with a marginal offside call against us but that seems to have been ignored by the media, so maybe self-censorship has already started. Or maybe I'm remembering wrong because I'm biased to LFC.)

And, just because of the scale of their coverage, officials' performances are focussed on most by Sky and they're likely to be extra careful about it.

Also I think the FA will probably be a bit slower in pushing her into more live games for a while (although they're bound to give her a game or two soon, just to make it look like they're not holding her back), until the fuss has died down.

Judging by the morons that have been ringing in to talk radio stations and adding comments to the clips on youtube, etc I think there is an equal amount of "support" for Gray and Keys and will probably vent their bigotted spleen towards her.

It won't be long till the likes of Jan Moir and her ilk turn on her.

[fah-q]

The FA also have a big problem with this. It should be a lot more female referees out there. At least 30%-40% of the assistant referees should be female. I can understand if no referee isn't female because then stamina etc comes into the equation.

Name one good reason to why 30%-40% of the assistant referees shouldn't be female. As I said, Sky isn't the only one that need to change their attitude.

One good reason is that there isn't that amount of quality female ref's and assistants. If you go down that route of quotas then it fuels the sexism debate imo.

It's a meritocracy, if you are good enough you can have the job regardless of your gender.

[Arn]

Err, are that many women actually interested in being football officials?

It would most probably be a lot more interest if they saw that they had a fair chance to make it.

As it is now, why bother? A female assistant referee must be so much better now than her male colleges to get a chance that it is ridiculous.

If you are good enough then it shouldn't matter if you're male of female. As it is now, it matters a lot.

[Neil Young]

The FA also have a big problem with this. It should be a lot more female referees out there. At least 30%-40% of the assistant referees should be female. I can understand if no referee isn't female because then stamina etc comes into the equation.

Name me one good reason to why 30%-40% of the assistant referees shouldn't be female. As I said, Sky isn't the only one that need to change their attitude.

There are very few women holding senior jobs in the FA. Football is a throwback, I agree.

Then again, so is cycling. There are always "podium girls" ready to kiss the race winner. It's like the 1970s.

Football needs to change, many sports need to change, etc. I do think society is changing, and some areas are lagging behind while others are leading the way.

The media needs to change too - see the reports that say Sky's hiring policy for men and women is different. Having said that, they do seem to be making some efforts in that direction, if reports of this Barney Francis figure are correct. Although it's all about making sure men and women are telegenic, so everyone being discriminated against equally.

Also many football print journos aren't exactly renowned for their open-mindedness about women.

[Arn]

There are very few women holding senior jobs in the FA. Football is a throwback, I agree.

Then again, so is cycling. There are always "podium girls" ready to kiss the race winner. It's like the 1970s.

Football needs to change, many sports need to change, etc. I do think society is changing, and some areas are lagging behind while others are leading the way.

The media needs to change too - see the reports that say Sky's hiring policy for men and women is different. Having said that, they do seem to be making some efforts in that direction, if reports of this Barney Francis figure are correct. Although it's all about making sure men and women are telegenic, so everyone being discriminated against equally.

Also many football print journos aren't exactly renowned for their open-mindedness about women.

[Helios Creed]

so have we decided who is the sexiest, Gray or Keys?

[Neil Young]

Judging by the morons that have been ringing in to talk radio stations and adding comments to the clips on youtube, etc I think there is an equal amount of "support" for Gray and Keys and will probably vent their bigotted spleen towards her.

It won't be long till the likes of Jan Moir and her ilk turn on her.

Doesn't Moir write for the Mail? If so, then I think it's unlikely.

But to the main point, I admit I don't go out of my way to find sexist drivel like the comments you refer to. The thing about the internet is there is always someone (including me obviously) somewhere ready to sound off about something.

There are still a lot of dinosaurs around. But thirty years ago lots of people were inured to casual racism. Yet you don't hear it anywhere near so much now (Ron Atkinson etc.) because everyone knows it's offensive. And once that starts happening, the underlying attitudes behind casual prejudice change and it becomes rarer.

I hope so anyway.

[Arn]

They should look at what Tennis have done and follow their example.

Equal prize money and all that. A lot of female umpires.

[Neil Young]

so have we decided who is the sexiest, Gray or Keys?