BBC BMX Commentary

[iamruth]

AIBU to be annoyed that the woman commentating on the highlights coverage on now on the BBC of Beth Schrieber keeps making comments like “she’s doing really well, rising that bike like a boy”, “taking that jump just like one of the boys” she’s just won GOLD and you’re saying she’s doing well because she’s doing it like a boy? I despair! She’s doing it like a skilled rider and athlete, and exactly like a girl.

@korawick12345

The thing that is really enraging is that the reason she had to crowdfund is that U.K. sport decided after Rio that they were only going to fund male BMX riders😡😡😡😡

That was so shocking and really needs to change.

I noticed that.

She was a great commentator though. Got so excited!

When she said it I was knee jerk yikes.

But then I thought well the men do ride differently as they have more power etc.

And my feeling was she wasn't being disparaging.

Most boys would love to ride like her!

And so I didn't mind.

I think she only said it once. That I noticed anyway.

TBF Bethany’s Dad made a point of complimenting her commentary and thanking her, so if it’s good enough for him…

YY re the crowdfunding.

The men were financially supported not the women.

That states that they didn't see the women as having much of a chance.

She got gold.

Fuck you UK body that decides this.

Girls football was fucked over during covid but not boys ( not same decision makers I assume).

Women's rugby - forget which type- were fucked over after WINNING a big thing.

@korawick12345

The thing that is really enraging is that the reason she had to crowdfund is that U.K. sport decided after Rio that they were only going to fund male BMX riders😡😡😡😡

Short-sighted if what you're after is medals. Since there are many countries where sexism is an even greater barrier to sports participation and achievement than in the UK, investing in women's sport will have a bigger payback in medals for a given amount of funding, because the competition is being held back more.

Of course that assumes that women's medals are considered equally valuable, not tainted by oestrogen contamination or cooties or something.

@korawick12345 I saw that - a reflection of what a lovely person he is rather than how good she was at commentating I think!

I didn't hear that one, but thoroughly hacked off with the mixed triathlon commentary last light - BBC referring to the "men" and "girls" FFS.

Have you contacted the BBC to make them aware? www.bbc.co.uk/contact/comments

there was a thread on here a few weeks ago (during Wimbledon, because I'd made a complaint about that) that complaints to BBC achieve sod all. I've only just received the reply back (that they think it's completely justifiable to broadcast the conversation between a player so unwell they withdrew from the game and tournament with the medical team that attended her). - so complaining to BBC achieves very little.
I put a comment on the BBC website; last time I looked they'd declined to publish it because it had to be reviewed.

There are some good positive points in this article.. I would love to see the funding by sport split by sex... does anyone know where I might find this?

www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jul/22/women-olympics-team-gb-brightest-stars-tokyo-games

@NiceGerbil I have said I don’t think she meant to be disparaging abs I accept that they ride differently as in most sports men and women compete differently due to men’s biological advantage. My point is she could have said “she’s so strong” or “she’s really making high jumps” which are things that are achievable for girls (clearly!) but no girl is ever going to be a boy and to imply you need to be a boy in order to be good at it is wrong.

@ToManderleyAgain I have sent feedback to the BBC yes.

I absolutely also 100% agree with the funding thing but I do feel that just accepting this casual sort of sexism IMO just seems to affirm it with it being seen as ok to imply that she won because she acted like a boy therefore the men’s is more valuable. They’re different yes but not better.

@korawick12345 ah well if Bethany’s dad (presumably a white male) thinks it’s ok then why should us little women stand up and say anything?

@korawick12345

The thing that is really enraging is that the reason she had to crowdfund is that U.K. sport decided after Rio that they were only going to fund male BMX riders😡😡😡😡

I wouldn't worry about that, casual sexism in cycling is rife.

My DD won a regional cycle race series, the boy got a massive cup for his efforts, the British Cycling official handed my DD an envelope with £2 in it, apparently, they had lost the trophy 2 years earlier and couldn't be asked to replace it.

Who the fuck does Olympic rowing? its an elite sport for public school children, i wonder how much the horse riders get? bet no one from Peckham does that.

[quote iamruth]@korawick12345 ah well if Bethany’s dad (presumably a white male) thinks it’s ok then why should us little women stand up and say anything?[/quote]
Calm down. You crack on being offended on Bethany’s behalf. How ridiculous I was, to suggest that her father may know more about how she might feel about it, than some random on the internet.

@Furloughlaylow that’s outrageous I’m so sorry for your daughter. Ultimately this is a reason that we need to be calling them out on it, every single time.

@korawick12345 I’m not offended on her behalf, I’m offended by the acceptance of casual sexism on live national TV and I’m offended by the message that gives to my daughters and the children I work with. You a man by any chance?

[quote iamruth]@korawick12345 I’m not offended on her behalf, I’m offended by the acceptance of casual sexism on live national TV and I’m offended by the message that gives to my daughters and the children I work with. You a man by any chance?[/quote]
Oh behave! By all means be offended, I will save my offence for issues like the way U.K. Sport is sexist in its funding. Accusing me of being a man makes you look very very silly.

@korawick12345 meanwhile you look “very, very silly” by failing to understand that casual sexism in everyday life, particularly in sport, is a fundamental contributing reason as to why U.K. Sport is sexist in it’s funding.

Shanaze didn't really provide any commentary on the woman's race, she just shouted 'all the way' a lot.

[quote iamruth]@korawick12345 meanwhile you look “very, very silly” by failing to understand that casual sexism in everyday life, particularly in sport, is a fundamental contributing reason as to why U.K. Sport is sexist in it’s funding.[/quote]
I understand that perfectly, but you crack on with being snippy and petty. The fact you chose to try and make a point about the fact that Bethany Shriever’s dad is a man (as you f he would be anything else) and should therefore be ignored was IMO ill judged and diminished your point. The fact that you then accused me of being a man as if it was some sort of clever gotcha was equally petty.

@korawick12345 I was actually referring in my post to Reade’s commentary on the highlights show later on the day, I’m not sure that is what Beth’s dad was asked about. Equally, I’m fairly confident he is most likely to be referring to the criticisms levelled at Reade for the quality of that live race commentary and, being a man, had not considered the (IMO) unhelpful and casually sexist comments made during that later show. My point about him being a man referenced the fact that it is entirely highly likely he would not have noticed the sexism against women and girls. If you want to believe that implying she is good because she is “like a boy” as opposed to strong/determined/fast etc then you go ahead but I maintain that girls can be strong/determined/fast etc but they cannot be boys and we should not say they can only be good if they are like boys. Beth was incredible because she was an athlete AND a girl

She was a poor commentator. Screaming 'go all the way' is not commentary.

[quote iamruth]@korawick12345 I was actually referring in my post to Reade’s commentary on the highlights show later on the day, I’m not sure that is what Beth’s dad was asked about. Equally, I’m fairly confident he is most likely to be referring to the criticisms levelled at Reade for the quality of that live race commentary and, being a man, had not considered the (IMO) unhelpful and casually sexist comments made during that later show. My point about him being a man referenced the fact that it is entirely highly likely he would not have noticed the sexism against women and girls. If you want to believe that implying she is good because she is “like a boy” as opposed to strong/determined/fast etc then you go ahead but I maintain that girls can be strong/determined/fast etc but they cannot be boys and we should not say they can only be good if they are like boys. Beth was incredible because she was an athlete AND a girl[/quote]
Unfortunately you were not clear in your op and then responded in a rude manner. Your last post also makes it clear that you haven’t seen the interview with her parents so why you felt the need to comment on it is beyond me. But I am glad you feel qualified to comment on what he was talking about despite having not seen it.

@ChicChaos this annoyed me too, I get that she was excited but she was yelling all over the actual play-by-play commentary and not contributing anything helpful or even coherent.