Chris Gayle has smashed this one out of the park.
Source: www.pakistantoday.com.pk
But there’s confusion as to whether the strike merits an applause or not.
When in an interview with the Channel 10 news reporter, Mel McLaughlin, during one of the BBL matches on 4th January, 2016, the eminent West Indian cricketer playfully asked her out for a drink, followed by “Don’t blush baby” (a hashtag that has been trending on Twitter) many people took offense saying that the action demonstrates a sexist attitude, and was highly inappropriate.
It was especially amusing to see how the headlines that followed said “Chris Gayle Asks Female Reporter Out”, as if we didn’t expect Mr. Gayle to ask a female (reporter or not) out.
Famous personalities took to Twitter to voice their opposition against Gayle’s boisterous stroke, and to applaud Mel McLaughlin’s swift dismissal;
Source: twitter.com
Chris Gayle was fined A$10000 in the wake of this action, which he accepted despite having been taken by “surprise”.
He couldn’t have put it more aptly when he said that the whole issue was blown “out of proportion”. Harmless banter in a cricket match that undoubtedly has come to have more of an entertainment value for the masses, does not merit a fiasco this big.
Many people agree;
While Gayle did apologize for his action, which he (rightly?) called a “joke”, he largely remains unperturbed;
Here’s why we believe “overreaction” is the best word to sum up this situation;
People ask each other out all the time, often in full view of an audience. But when you’re a celebrity, your actions, from the most minute to the larger ones, are always under public scrutiny, and people consider it their divine duty to comment upon how appropriate or not a certain action is. Maybe it wasn’t the most ideal of circumstances, and maybe it did catch the Big Bash reporter off guard, but it was hardly offensive.
Source: www.theguardian.com
And since when is an ‘ask-out’ sexist, anyway?
Melbourne Renegades’ chief executive, Stuart Coventry’s remarks about how what Gayle perceives a joke “maybe a cultural thing” but is highly unacceptable in Australia, rings some racist bells for us.
But more importantly, think about how the social media and the general public would’ve reacted if the reporter had made such joking remarks to Chris Gayle, instead of it being the other way round.
It would’ve been ‘feminism’ then, and not ‘sexism’.
We’re not saying asking a woman out while she’s at work is wrong or right, we’re just saying anyone who wants to ask a person out just can, and should, without the entire world throwing judgments.
Now, back to work, everyone.
Also See: You’re A Woman, You Must ‘Age Well’
Also See: Woman Beaten Up Strikes Back
