On December 3rd, Ada Hegerberg was pronounced the first woman to ever win the Ballon d’Or, a prize which determines the best European soccer player in the world. However, when she went up on stage to receive her prize, the host - French DJ Martin Solveig - asked her if she knew how to twerk. Hegerberg quickly dismissed the question and moved on, but the situation has caused a controversy on social media with many celebrities and fellow athletes commenting on the situation that occurred.
Due to the political climate we are currently in, as well as the female empowerment movement that is going on, many pointed out the sexism regarding Solveig’s comment. Solveig has addressed the idea as a joke, but many are still appalled with the concrete example of sexism, something that is often presented in female athletics. Hegerberg herself tried to focus on the achievement and the progressiveness that is demonstrated through this prize as the male Ballon d’Or has been reserved for male players only since its start in 1956. Solveig has apologized for his comment, and Hegerberg has accepted his apology.
Even though Solveig’s intention might not have been to offend someone, it is clear that the stereotypes regarding male and female athletes are different as male athletes are often more respected than their female counterpart. I believe that it is important that this has been pointed out, and that people are realizing it as a sexist comment.
Discussion questions:
1. Do you believe this was an okay joke to make regarding the context of the situation?
2. If you were Hegerberg, how would you address the situation?
3. How do you think the #MeToo movement plays a role in this event?
I believe the joke was very disrespectful especially in this context. This is a very prestigious award and it makes it even more special that she is the first woman to accept this award as an accomplishment of her soccer career. Though it was a joke, it should not have been said, especially after accepting her award. If I was Hegerberg I would have reacted the same by simply brushing it off. It would have caught me off guard. This plays into the #MeToo movement because it highlights the verbal assault women face in struggling to represent their voice.
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ReplyDeleteI think that the comments made to Hegerberg are completely inappropriate and are unacceptable. As Alicia said, this just demonstrates the current situation of women being treated as sexual figures for men rather than people who are equal to men. I hope that we can move forward past this and, with more things such as a female Ballon d'Or award, be at a state in society where women can be treated as equals to men.
ReplyDeleteI think that this comment was completely inappropriate. This is a very big award and is making history because she is the first woman to receive it. I agree with Stefan that this is an example of how women are treated as sexual objects and are lesser because they are women. This joke insinuates that first she is a body and then she is her talent. It is definitely understandable that this is controversial because it is on a big platform that is an example and precedent for what society today is like.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Solveig likely intended his comment as just a joke, it reflects a deep-rooted sexism in women's athletics. All too often, female athletes are sexualized. This entrenches a perspective in many women that they are sexual objects. Playing sports, for many, becomes less about the sport itself and more about developing a sexually appealing body type. Sports should celebrate the female body not for what it looks like but for what it can do.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the comments made towards, Ada Hegerberg were inappropriate in the context, and it seems that if it was a male winner the same question would not be asked. This comment did not reflect the accomplishments of her talent, and was overshadowed by sexist comments. In Hagerberg situation the best way to address the situation may be to acknowledge that it was inappropriate, and call out the organization. With the #MeToo movement it relates as it creates awareness about sexual harassment/assault and speaking out against those types of acts.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Jane said that if the winner had been a male, no remark like the one made to Hegerberg would have been made. This being said, it shows how women are sexualized no matter what the accomplishment they are recognized for. Even if it was a joke, it was unacceptable and very out of context. If I were asked the same question, I would have felt very uncomfortable and reacted the same way as Hegerberg. In my opinion, it is a shame that the first woman to receive this award was awarded in this way, and not treated with the same respect as men.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the people above that the comment made towards Ada Hegerberg was disrespectful and is representative of a much deeper and controversial issue. Although it was likely that Solveig intended for the comment to be funny, the significance of the event makes it unacceptable. Because Hegerberg was the first woman to ever win the Ballon d'Or, she should deserve to be praised for her skills and tireless work, not for her twerking skills which have absolutely no connection to her accomplishments. Although this award intended to highlight the significant impact women have in sports, such a comment strengthens the viewpoint that women playing professional sports are not taken as seriously as other men.
ReplyDeleteWhile Solveig was probably not intending to be sexist or cause any harm, his comment was completely out-of-hand especially since Hegerberg was the first female to receive this award. In addition, twerking has nothing to do with the soccer achievements Hegerberg has accomplished, making his comment even more inappropriate for the situation and creating a huge backlash. I think Hegerberg addressed the situation well by accepting Solveig’s apology. Solveig probably learned from this situation due to the all of the controversy and backlash he probably received. If I were Hegerberg, with such a huge following, I would probably post a message on social media about the importance of respecting women and their accomplishments.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above comments. Solveig's patronizing statement undermines the hard work of Hegerberg and other female athletes. I admire Hegerberg's response to Solveig's comment, and her overall attitude towards winning the Ballon d'Or; she moved the attention away from one petty comment to the broader world of sports, where female athletes must work more to earn respect for their sport. In response to your 3rd question, I believe that Hegerberg's swift "no" to Solveig aligns with the #MeToo movement's values of respect.
ReplyDeleteI think that the DJ made an incredibly inappropriate remark. I think that Hegerberg handled the situation with grace. I'm not sure the #metoo movement has much to do with this story though because this story is more about women trying to earn respect in sports.
ReplyDeleteI think that this kind of joke was certainly not okay in this context. The question undermines the great accomplishment Hegerberg was being recognized for. While it may have seemed harmless to Solveig, it shows an attitude that is all too common to female athletes. It seems like a very demeaning comment that takes away the importance of the award. I agree with the above comments that if it were a male receiving the award there would be only comments of congratulations and things involving what they are getting the award for. I think that even if this was meant as a joke, it was a completely inappropriate time and pace for it to be made. I think Hegerberg's response was impressive and poised, as she continued to focus on her great accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteThe joke was not okay given the context, it was completely degrading and sexist given he wouldn't have asked a male soccer player if he could "twerk". If I were Hegerburg, I hope I would be able to disregard the comment. She was really graceful and professional while handling such an unnecessary and uncomfortable comment. This can be seen as verbal harassment because the comment/joke was obviously unwanted as well as unnecessarily sexual. This being said, yes the #metoo movement plays a role in this event. At this day and age, unwanted sexual comments should not be said to anyone, but this would of not happened if it were a male accepting the Ballon d'Or.
ReplyDeleteIt was completely unacceptable to make a comment like this, or any comment regarding any similarity to this one. Comments such as these disregard and take away from amazing achievements that women continue to accomplish, this being a prime example. Instead of focusing on what a great and progressive thing it is to win the Ballon d’Or, especially as a woman, the announcer focused on and drew attention to her body and her sexuality. Whether an innocent joke or not, he should have been much more aware of his behavior, as comments such as those are unacceptable.
ReplyDeleteWithin this situation, I agree with all the comments above that the comment made by Solveig was sexist and should not have been said. Nonetheless, I also agree that Hegerberg handled the situation well, and although it may have been hard, I believe that taking the apology was taking the high road. Furthermore, the DJ saying that his comment was merely a "joke" exemplifies the sexist nature of today's society, worldwide. A comment like Solveig's demonstrates the idea that certain people have a prejudice of many women meaning that there is a sexist culture, which should be changed and eliminated for the better. Nonetheless, I believe that the granting Hegerberg the award takes a step away from the sexist culture as it demonstrates that women should be recognize when they are as good as or better than men. If I were Hegerberg, I would have still accepted the apology, but I would also have made stingy comments when accepting the apology so that the sexist nature of the comment is illustrated and highlighted as not being acceptable at all. Finally, I think the #MeToo movement plays a role in this event as this event further depicts the verbal harassment towards women in all aspects of society. Thus, the movement sets the scene and movement against acts like the comment made by Solveig which will hopefully cause change in society for the better.
ReplyDeleteI believe that this comment serves as yet another instance of the imbalance between that men and women still face in society today. I think that the recent #MeToo movement and controversy has caused issues like these to become the forefront of news, and so I think that this story has been publicized more as a result of increased media exposure to womenś rights issues.Obviously, this comment is unacceptable and rude, as it objectifies Hegerberg and completely minimizes her achievements, which again exemplifies the double standard which exists between men and women.
ReplyDeleteWhile the joke might not have been ill-intended, it was still extremely disrespectful and inappropriate regardless of the context of the event. Especially since such comment was not intended to be taken seriously, this joke reflects the stark imbalance and lingering sexist views still present in society today. I agree with Maddie in that the #MeToo movement has brought more attention to such issues. These media attention has brought greater light to such issues and helped advanced the movement for gender equality forward.
ReplyDeleteI believe that this was an unacceptable joke to make especially given the context of this being such a meaningful and serious award. Men who receive this award don't get asked if they know how to pole dance or grind when they win the award. Despite the negative context surrounding this event, I believe that this was still an important moment for women. Although women's soccer still doesn't receive the attention that men's soccer does, it's good to see that there is some recognition being given to women. I think that Hegerberg handled the situation well, but if I were in the situation I don't think that I would have been able to keep my cool. The twerking remark was disrespectful and uncalled for but I think Hegerberg realized that accepting the reward and keeping her cool was the best way to respond to the situation.
ReplyDeleteThis comment was completely unacceptable, and quite frankly disgusting. Women are trained by society their whole lives to monitor their behavior, act with class and grace, and never misstep. However, men and boys are never reprimanded for their crude and disrespectful behavior, commonly citing the "boys will be boys" excuse. Well there was absolutely no excuse for the presenter to sexualize and objectify this woman athlete on one of the most successful nights of her life. Men continuously take away from women's accomplishments by belittling them to simple objects. While we've come far with the #metoo movement, clearly the misogyny engrained in the men of this society permeates much deeper.
ReplyDeleteThis is blatant sexism and women should be appreciated for their achievements instead of body. It was incredibly rude for the man to ask if she twerked even if it was some joke. In the context of the situation the DJ should have been aware of her achievements as an athlete and what she did to get there, instead of focusing on her body. If I were Hegerberg, I would have not appreciated the joke and took it to offense.
ReplyDeleteAlthough he intended no harm, the DJ exposed deep rooted sexism through this comment. Hergerberg dealt with the situation in a respectable manner, but she had the opportunity to call him out later on. However, she brushed it off and let other athlete comment on the situation. Sexism is very prevalent today in sports. I play for an academy team, which has both girls and boys teams. The boys get a ton of gear for free and so much more attention than us girls, even though we were the third best team in the nation while the boys were at the bottom of their league. As a society, we are taking two steps forward and one step back in terms of dealing with sexism in sports, but at least that is better than no movement.
ReplyDeleteThis comment is unacceptable, and there is no reason why anyone should say that at any time. There is no reason make such derogatory comments, even if they are not meant to be taken seriously. It was a huge moment in Hergerberg's life, and she did not deserve feeling objectified by the DJ's comments. I am glad to see that Hergerberg did not lash out, and was the better person in that situation.
ReplyDeleteI do not think this joke was called for at all, especially in front of a live audience of over 760 million people. This award has been presented to only male soccer players for 62 years and this award has a big impact on the athletic world as it illustrates the progress to created gender equality in the athletic field. Solveig's comment was rude and I am not surprised that it resulted in such backlash. If I were Hegerberg, I would not want to make a big scene about to situation but I would also try to address it later when it was not in front of a large audience to get the message out that these kind of stereotypes should not be generalized among all women.
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ReplyDeleteWhile he had intended no harm when he made the joke, it certainly should not have been made and his actions are unacceptable. It was completely uncalled for and have brought more attention to the sexist views of our current society. Particularly in the sport of soccer where men's soccer receives more recognition that women's soccer does. It also sheds light on the gender inequality in many professional sports, as many men's leagues are given more attention and higher salaries in comparison to women's leagues
ReplyDeleteI believe the joke was inappropriate for the situation. The sexist joke completely destroys the celebratory mood of the moment, and instead replaces that mood with one of awkwardness. Further exacerbating the awkwardness is the sexist nature of the joke; had Ada been a man, Solveig would most likely not have made the joke. Even if the joke had been made elsewhere, not at such as historical moment, it will still appear as offensive and disrespectful. A joke is okay to make, but it must be appropriate and respectful.
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