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Emma Hayes, manager of Chelsea Women, contends that male privilege has been at the focal point of English football.
Joey Barton was heavily criticised for comments he made on social media suggesting that women “shouldn’t be talking with any kind of authority on men’s football.
Barton was a guest on Piers Morgan’s talk show on Thursday and stated that female football pundits were chosen simply to fulfill a diversity requirement, but he maintained that he was not being discriminatory.
Hayes, who has routinely stood up for values she believes in during her role as Chelsea manager said, when asked about the comments in a press conference on Friday: “The realities are male privilege has always been at the centre of football in this country,
I believe that the realm of sports is the final frontier of male privilege in our society.
At the end of the season, Hayes will depart from Chelsea and assume her new position as head coach for the United States women’s national team. In addition, she has also served as a commentator for both men’s and women’s football.
According to BBC, Hayes stated that it is unlikely for individuals to recognize their privilege, despite the fact that numerous women in the online community and in the business world, including coaches, presenters, and players, are constantly facing systemic misogyny, bullying, and normalized behavior from a significant portion of the football audience.
“If you haven’t personally faced widespread sexism, as many of us have, it’s impossible to truly comprehend the harm caused by these discussions. It’s disheartening to know that anything we say can result in a massive swarm of attacks, especially on social media,” she stated.
When discussing football, it’s important to acknowledge that society is not always equally represented in the media or in coaching and playing.
Source: independent.co.uk
