Malcolm Gladwell backtracks on men in women’s sports

Malcolm Gladwell had an English teacher who greatly inspired him...

But whatever brought the two together, what matters is the invaluable lesson that Gladwell took away from their in-class time. “He taught me that words can be and, in fact, must be used with specificity. He believed that sloppiness was the enemy of clarity and insight. He paid a tremendous attention to detail and that has been the basis of all my writing. I thank him for that.”

Irony.

She's not wrong. And I have to admit to being pathetically ... grateful? relieved? when anyone comes to their senses for any reason on this subject. So maybe it's just the desperate need for nods to truth speaking, but part of me wants us to be, um, kinder about admissions like Gladwell's.

It's not easy saying 'I was wrong' and 'I was a stupid coward.'

Of course, when such people do another aboutface with the next change in the weather, the forbearance feels totally wasted.

There's going to be a lot of this.

Its hard. I know we should be welcoming them all into the fold, golden bridges and all that. But he was a craven coward when others lost a lot to stick to their principles.

How much credit will I give him for being slightly ahead of the tsunami?

I’d like this to be the moment when Helen Joyce’s prediction proves out.

Even tho’ it will mean men being applauded for saying things that cost women their livelihoods. We shall have to mumble, “golden bridge, golden bridge” as we listen to the men pontificate about it being our high squeaky voices, and the tone of what we said that was the problem.

Bring out the best metal polish, set out the welcome mat and tea service.

As someone on X said, it's ironic that it has taken us getting to a Tipping Point for him to feel able to speak out!!

Malcolm Gladwell is the archetype of male privilege. Great that he has realised the truth belatedly but why anyone thought he was in a position to comment on elite women's sport is beyond me. I've not listened to the podcast but am imagining Ross Tucker must have been listening open mouthed.

I think it's quite clever on his part. He gets it all done and dusted now, and his reversal will soon be forgotten (or even forgiven as he did it so early), and he now gets to look down at everyone else who is still drunk on the ideology.

I imagine that there will be others. There has to be.

I agree with JK here:

'Such people’s only usefulness is as weathervanes. When craven conformists start coming over, you know the wind has truly changed.'