Wimbledon

[EBearhug]

I was just watching the end of Wimbledon, and there was a camera behind Djokovic walking back through corridors to wherever he goes now (shower, I assume.)

One woman stepped behind him as he passed and patted his bum. How is that any more acceptable than if it was done to a woman?

Obviously it's not, but I am not sure that if it were the women's champion walking through the corridors with cameras behind her, no one would even have tried it - though I don't doubt the female tennis players will all have experienced plenty of sexist behaviour during their careers, and the French winner last year whose name I've forgotten was certainly judged on her appearance rather than her playing.

But why don't some people realise that it's not okay to try and touch someone's bum, whether they're male or female?

Did she know him? How did he react? Football players do this all the time don't they.

If she was a random then no of course it's not acceptable.

I was at DS's sports day and one of the male teachers came out in his shorts. Some of the mothers were whooping, cat-calling and hollering at him. I was trying to imagine the fathers doing that to the female teachers and everyone just laughing along...

No, that's not acceptable.

I think they are related - she was in his box watching the match. Not just a random stranger

It's not the same, contextually. He doesn't have a lifetime of being told to be careful and not walk down dark alleys etc as context, nor does he have an image-based interpretation of his worth as context.

Not that I think it's ok, but don't conflate the two things.

It's interesting isn't it.

I think that women tend to react when strangers touch them, and it is the reaction that causes the disapprobation. If a man touches a woman initimitely and she doesn't react, then people tend to assume "no problem" which of course is why many sex offenders at the lower end of teh spectrum target schoolgirls / younger women / women who seem quiet so that they are more likely to get away with it, as the victim won't know what to do and so do nothing / freeze / try and be polite.

Without context we are asked to get upset on behalf of this moment on the TV even though for all I know (?) it might be his wife, sister, best mate, anyone.

It feels a bit like a double standard.

If it had been done to a female tennis player and she had not reacted I think most people would have assumed that there was a relationship between them that meant it was OK, rather than assuming a sexual assault.

Dunno.

I hadn't realised she was in his box. He didn't seem to react at all.

In the clip I saw they had a big hug and then she patted him as he walked away