Australian swimmer who took 'misogyny' stance says it was worth missing Olympics

Much of what I'm reading here is downplaying this woman's experiences. It's being referred to as mere "oolgling" or "looking at someone wrong" or that she's "desperate for attention." Not a single one of the naysayers are conceding that it is entirely possible that she is telling the truth - that there is sexism and sexual abuse in womens' sports.

The naysayers feel entirely comfortable calling her a liar, without any evidence she is lying, despite all the of past scandals in sports that have shown time and again that female atheletes are vulnerable to sexual abuse by male coaches, trainers, and team doctors. This fact is documented by courts and is undeniable, but here they are, denying it. Why? What purpose does it serve to deny that sexism exists in sports, when it clearly does, and what purpose does it serve to deny that sexual abuse exists in sports, when clearly it does?

That denial is being labeled misogyny for good reason: only someone who hates women would not only deny the existence of sexism and sexual abuse, but for good measure throw even MORE abuse her way in the form of petty insults, counter-accusations of dishonesty, and downplay her lived experience as unimportant.

What I see are men venting their rage at women.

Misogyny or not, I can't exactly take a stand one way or the other but she probably has some validity to it. Either way, look how the CoVid sickness cases are on the rise in Japan. On that factor alone, she is better off staying home.

It's funny how if you don't 100% agree with a woman or simp that you become a "misogynist". 

Oh, don’t get hysterical and play the victim.

Binary thinkers can only see things in terms of polar opposites. Hence their rhetoric.

I'm sure it was... somehow.

It's funny how if you don't 100% agree with a woman or simp that you become a "misogynist". 

Oh, don’t get hysterical and play the victim.

Sorry, but women oggle men. Men oggle women. Hard to erase hundreds of thousands of years of human development and procreative instincts.

If you disagree with this swimmer, then you're labeled a misogynist. No room for slightly differing opinions - all black or white. Sorry but I don't buy any of this.

None of this "uncomfortable being looked at" thing is going to disappear in any of our lifetimes or thousands of our grandkids' either unless we all stop being humans.

Don’t you have mother’s, sisters, daughters, grandmothers that you love? If so, why the misogynistic comments?

You haven't met my sister!

It's funny how if you don't 100% agree with a woman or simp that you become a "misogynist". The word is so overused that it has become meaningless.

Get a grip!

Judging from the posts on this site, women still have a long fight ahead. Don’t you have mother’s, sisters, daughters, grandmothers that you love? If so, why the misogynistic comments?

Pacific Saury, I strongly disagree with you.

I doubt many athletes would want their obituary to read "had a chance to compete at the 2020 Olympics but instead had a hissy fit because heterosexual men are designed by nature to be attracted to women".

"a person that works at swimming making me feel uncomfortable the way they stare at me".

Ridiculous. What does she suggest, to put that person's eyes out?

I'm not sure if this is a "yawn" issue or a "roll my eyes" issue. Maybe it's both. She sounds like she's desperate for attention. Or, perhaps she could feel she wasn't up to snuff and came up with this lame excuse. OMG! Somebody is LOOKING at me!!!

Get a grip.

She said at the time: "You can no longer exploit young women and girls, body shame or medically gaslight them and then expect them to represent you so you can earn your annual bonus. Time's UP."

Well said!!!

Just finished watching Athlete A, and it’s horrifying, how young women are exploited and people do not have the courage to raise their voice.

All the misogynists who posted those horrible comments, shame on you!!!

Who ?

Made the claim on social media after missing the team, when the President of swimming said, if this is true can you tell us what happened, we dont want anybody to go through this again, she said nothing. If she was hurt/abused tell us so we can stand with you and stop it happening again, but she has no evidence, no names, nothing to investigate. Just a rant on social media.

misogynistic perverts

a person that works at swimming making me feel uncomfortable the way they stare at me

I’m assuming that the other transgressions were more egregious than that.

She is brave and she is right.

Congratulations!! in a couple of days nobody will remember and nobody will care : D

But it sure is a nice excuse to opt out and save yourself the embarrassment of failing : D

Imagine spending your whole life preparing for this event just to quit at the last minute just because your were jealous of the mens team's tighter skimpier outfits that leave nothing to the imagination ( imarite ladies. ).

We get it, jump on that social justice band wagon and get those endorsements not for your competiveness, physical prowess, or skill, but for being so brave and so progressive.

ArtistAtLargeToday 05:57 pm JST

Reading the crude, heartless, misogynistic comments from the usual supects on here one can only conclude there's still a very long way to go.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed.

Ditto. Really, really tired of these nasty comments about women.

Reading the crude, heartless, misogynistic comments from the usual supects on here one can only conclude there's still a very long way to go.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed.

She deserves the nobel peace prize

Lol, nobody will even remember her next month. She should be forced to repay the money that the Australian Institute of Sport, etc. invested in her over the years.

Good for her

She said at the time: "You can no longer exploit young women and girls, body shame or medically gaslight them and then expect them to represent you so you can earn your annual bonus. Time's UP."

Reading the crude, heartless, misogynistic comments from the usual supects on here one can only conclude there's still a very long way to go.

In swimming wearing a swimsuit is normal and some people will stare at an accomplished athlete-par for the course.

Skiing doesn’t have those problems though….

I dunno about this person, but it is not mentioned very often that the US Gymnast Simone Biles, who pulled out for what were reported as "mental issues", is one of the hundreds of victims of sexual abuse by a US team gymnastics coach. So when members of the public judge her, or are invited to judge her, they are judging a victim of sexual abuse. She is not just someone who struggles with pressure or whatever the papers might suggest. As a US gymnast, she goes out there representing an organization that did nothing to protect her or her teammates. In the story, it says that Swimming Australia has had problems with "unacceptable behaviour" for years. As a parent, I find that is far more worthy of contempt than a female swimmer refusing to represent them regardless of how much training she may have done.

The highest profile suicide in UK football, the former Welsh captain and manager Gary Speed, was personally coached by the most notorious child abuser in British football and likely abused or a witness to abuse himself.

Maybe the organisers of the Paris games, if she intends to compete with all those charming French men about, can offer to allow her to swim fully clothed and wearing a paper bag over her head with a couple of cutouts for the eyes.

People will still be looking at her, but not in the way that seems to bother her so much.

Yup. She sure showed them…….

I think the word "gaslighting" is overused of late.

It's the new "that being said".

She’s got eventually some other severe issues far from swimming sports?

Im glad you didnt go as well. No doubt you would have attempted to "protest" your incredibly privileged existence in Australia because "somebody looked at me the wrong way".

Do us a favour and skip Paris as well. Cheers!

This is fantastic. Younger women aren't putting up with the gaslighting and misogyny and sexual harassment that has been a part of life for women from all walks of life. They are standing up and speaking out, and most importantly, they are finally being listened to.

Time's up. That's damn right.

Why is this current news?

Good for her!

From woke to broke. Here we go again. Look what happened to the U.S.A. woman's soccer team.