Swimmer Loses Sponsorship Over Gay Slur on Twitter
- Posted on September 7, 2010 at 3:06pm by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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Social media users beware: your posts can get you in trouble.
Just after we learned that a Tea Party leader in Montana has been fired for comments he made on Facebook implying support for hanging Homosexuals, a member of Australia’s national swim team has lost a sponsorship for using the term “faggot” on her Twitter account.
Shortly after the Australian rugby team completed an exciting, last-gasp win over South Africa at a meet on Saturday, Stephanie Rice tweeted, “Suck on that faggots!” She later apologized for the comment and deleted it.
But Jaguar saw a need to distance itself from the 22 year old Olympic gold medalist.
“We made a decision yesterday, and we’ve terminated the agreement with her,” Mark Eedle, Jaguar Australia’s marketing and public affairs manager, was quoted as saying. Not only will Rice lose her endorsement contract, but she will reportedly also have to forfeit the Jaguar XF given to her in February when the deal became official.
Rice won both individual medleys at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and was part of Australia’s victorious 4×200 freestyle team.
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Comments (42)
Smitty Of The Truth
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 9:30pmyou must be a Demo/Progreso/Liberal/Moron plant trying to pass as a Tea Party member……true Tea Party members do not feel the need to call them selves so and then attack people…….go back to the Huffington Post or KOS or whatever liberal hole you crawled out of.
Report Post »davejag
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 7:08pmIn America, it’s called the “1st Amendment”, primarily because it will be the first one to go.
Report Post »danglingbags
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 6:52pmI WONDER IS SERIAL VICTIM SARAH PALIN WILL COME TO HER DEFENSE LIKE SHE DID DR. LAURA?
Report Post »funksoul6
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 6:52pmThe world has lost its mind.
Report Post »Ammonihah
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 6:01pmThere is no difference between this conversation and most other debates on the internet right now about race, religion, sexual orientation, or governmental principles if you take it down to the core principle of charity toward your brother (on both sides of a disagreement). There should be few laws prohibiting a person from using words. And these laws should be vigorously and virtuously debated before they are enacted so that they do not erode the constitution. The laws and principles of free speech protect people from having limits put on them. But so many would jump in and start legislating things because they want to force people into a particular behavior. Then it just becomes a game of who can take the most power and use it for their way of belief. At some point the game actually becomes more important than the cause and the means to an end get rationalized and then nationalized.
Clearly, using a word that MAY be offensive to a black man, is not appropriate if you believe he is your brother and your countryman. The same rule applies when referring to people with same sex attraction, a differing religion, or country of origin. The fact is, there may be a day in this country when we will all need to stand by each other to defend our very lives and families. Unkind words do not create unity, they divide, even when used in jest. We find the common ground and civilly discuss the differences with respect at all times if we want to defend life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness..
When people have contention at the core of their motivation, they will use whatever means necessary to achieve their goal. There are a least two outcomes from being pulled into a contentious debate. First, one runs the risk of losing his senses and succumbing to using personal attacks, slander, and slurs. Second, in almost every case the principles, for which one began the conversation, become second to winning the title of victor. In todays anonymous world, the advocate of the principle so easily allows pride to cast a dark shadow over the principle, leaving only self aggrandizement as the outcome. It doesn’t have to be that way.
If people have charity and a desire to lift others, they will always use words and behavior that are respectful, regardless of the words or behavior of those with an opposing view. At the sight of contention, it is not cowardly to become silent and walk the other way. In fact, in todays world of anonymous debate it is often the most bold and difficult course of action one can take as it literally removes the platform from which the contender so precariously stands.
Report Post »Teomner1
Posted on September 8, 2010 at 8:53amGood post, but sounds more like Amulek than a citizen of the city.
Report Post »JJMinor
Posted on September 8, 2010 at 12:30pmVery well thought out. Thumbs up for you.
Report Post »venture
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 6:00pmHow about this, why dont we ban the word heterosexual from those who look down on it, and also ban the black people and others from using the word white, ******* and any other word that may be offensive to white people. This whole crab of PC stuff sucks and cause more crab than it fix. The people behind this PC crab need to wake the heck up. At the rate we are going every word will be banned. Just about everything you say has the chance of offending someone one way or another. But to run around trying to control what someone says is not freedom of speech. What was ok is now wrong because the PC cops think they know better. Trying to protect people from certain words is a joke.
Report Post »Gods_Child
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 5:59pmTMARENDS & REFORMEDRADICAL: You are both right on the money. In the Bible, God makes it clear that he loves ALL of us. No matter what color, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc. He abhors some of our sinful choices and activities, wants us to make different choices and/or participate in different activities, but loves us anyway. We have a great Creator God!
Report Post »dirt_bag
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 5:54pmREFORMEDRADICAL,
Report Post »Not to put too fine a point on it but why would a Libertarian ever be anti-gay? You put a lot of groups in your list there but Libertarian doesn’t make sense to me. A Libertarian shouldn‘t care if you were gay or purple or left handed just so you weren’t infringing on their freedom or injuring them, right? I consider myself a Libertarian and don’t agree with most of the stuff the Republican party stands for. In my mind it is wrong to lump everyone together this way, just sayin.
warmac9999
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 5:49pmIn “Keeping Up Appearances”, a used up cigarette is called a “***”. I guess that is anti-cigarette hate speech.
Report Post »MissDeeva
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 5:44pmThe company has a right to pull their sponsorship with her if they so choose to do so. Hopefully she has learned a lesson about what she says in a very public forum. There are times when one has to be politically correct even when one doesn’t want to. It amazes me at what people post on Facebook, Twitter and the rest of the social sites. How many headlines do we see now about people getting in some sort of hot water over Facebook etc.
Report Post »reformedradical
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 5:21pmTMARENDS, I agree with you. Personally, I do not buy into the idea that God hates gay folks. I also think people who judge others in this way give the rest of us a bad name. I know plenty of devout Christians and die-hard conservatives who are gay. We come in all forms.
Report Post »tmarends
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 5:15pmAs a conservative Christian who happens to be gay I find your comment highly offensive. There is nothing sick or perverted on how God created me or any other gay person.
Report Post »torie73
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 5:04pmAnother story to prove how the genration of today simply doesn’t, can’t , won’t use common sense in any situation. Always gotta have drama!
Report Post »reformedradical
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 5:02pmDo we really want to perpetuate the idea that all Conservatives/Tea Party members/Republicans/Libertarians are anti-gay, judgemental fundementalists? Personally, my strong Christian values tell me to let God do the judging. If homosexuality is indeed wrong, God will be the one to bring judgement upon these individuals. My issue here is not with gay folks, but with overly sensitive people who actually support the continuation of bigotry by calling out “discrimination!” at the drop of a dime. This woman clearly knew her wording was poorly chosen, and she apologized. Case closed.
Report Post »missmarie
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 4:53pmI blame our education system – there is an entire dictionary full of words that can could be used in place of slurs. As a child, I called my brother a ******** – my mom didn’t like that term and I got in big trouble. So, the next time I was mad at my brother I called him a dysfunctional illiterate moron. That time, my mom smiled.
Report Post »El Paco
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 4:41pmIt’s like african americans can say the N-word, but white people can’t say it…. ever.
Sad to hear. As an ex NCAA swimmer, it’s sad to see how even for swimmers, Twitter is nothing more than a loaded gun. (hence why I don’t use it.)
Report Post »Venom
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 4:25pmLots of people say that, normally not meant to offend Gays……
Report Post »Mermaz
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 4:17pmYes, be very careful. Glenn Beck blocked me after I tried to make a point to a non-fan just prior to 8.28. If I hadn’t tweeted his username, I wouldn’t be blocked. The good news is that I made some good Twitter friends because of it.
Report Post »Libertarian Infidel
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 3:43pmWords do have impact. We elected a president based on nothing but words. She obviously has a right to speak her mind, as Jaguar has a right to pick their spokesperson.
Report Post »shotgun
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 3:38pmJAGUAR IS JUNK ANYWAY!!!
Report Post »Good for her! She doesnt need Jaguar tainting her good image!
Ellie
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 3:50pmUp until Jaguar was purchased by Ford (and eventually sold to India’s Tata Motor) I had always heard that you had to buy two of them because one or the other will always be in the shop.
Report Post »MatMan
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 3:37pmIf sexuality is a trait similar to the color of a person‘s hair or the shape of the nose adorning one’s face, then how can a reference to one’s sexuality be derogatory? E.g. “You brunette!”
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 4:27pmLove it!
Report Post »Time2Revolt
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 4:33pmActually, that’s a hilarious but incredibly awesome argument. Well done.
Report Post »KevStutzCanDo
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 5:48pmGreat point MATMAN!
Report Post »Gods_Child
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 5:55pmToo true!
Report Post »Cynewulf
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 7:12pmActually, turn it into “You blonde!” and it is derogatory. The real question is why we aren’t firing people left and right for telling blonde jokes. You blondophobes are all haters and deserve to die. Oh, and I’m not blonde, but I have friends that are, just in case you were thinking of labeling me with that slur.
Report Post »SMITH1960
Posted on September 8, 2010 at 11:00amGot it!
Report Post »Ellie
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 3:30pmI can only assume that Jaguar felt she was insulting a large segment of their customer base. True or not, it is their right to choose who represents them and promotes their corporate image.
Report Post »Atlanta Media Guy
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 3:28pmIt is sad that words really do matter in this day and age! I am sure there would have been an organization or two that would have come out and say we must boycott Jaguar, since they endorse this language etc….
I wonder sometimes why the blacks own the “N” word and gays own the “F” word etc.. but if a white or heterosexual is caught using the aforementioned words they are verbally hung in effigy as a racist or homophobe, why?. (Pardon the pun)
Report Post »NancyJean
Posted on September 8, 2010 at 8:10amI understand what you’re saying, but I think that there are just some words that are off limits, no matter who uses them. I’d rather not join those who choose to slum along.
Report Post »BTW…funny pun.
Time2Revolt
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 3:28pmIt’s Australia. Who cares? Not me, certainly…
Report Post »wakey74
Posted on September 8, 2010 at 1:52amgee thanks for that. Maybe you need to get out some more and realise that the US is not the only country in the world
Report Post »patricktitters
Posted on September 7, 2010 at 3:23pmI hope there is an ACLU in Australia.
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