We've all heard about the scandal surrounding athletes like Tiger Woods and Ben Roethlisberger. We've also heard that despite their more than questionable behavior and apparent disregard for women, Nike has not dropped their endorsement deals with these two.
In an article from the New York Times, Timothy Egan brings to light that Nike is sending the wrong message by continuing to sponsor two men even after their string of infidelities, sexual assault cases and general indiscretion have long since overshadowed their successful athletic careers.
Why is Nike glorifying two men that obviously have no idea how to treat women? There is no arguing that these two are excellent athletes, but should that take precedence over their character?
Why doesn't Nike strike a deal with one of the hundreds of amazing female athletes instead of merely supporting those that degrade women? What kind of message is Nike sending by continuing to work with those like Woods and Roethlisberger while cavalierly disregarding many world-class athletes that are women? Egan believes that Nike is saying, "It’s O.K. for a buffoon of a man to disrespect women, so long as he continues to throw a football well."
So do we really want one of American's most popular brand names saying that it is not only okay to disrespect women but also to ignore them? Our country has come so far regarding the issues of equality and sexism but, sometimes, it does not appear to have come far enough.
Post a Comment