With Roland Garros just around the corner, get ready for our Survivors' Pool,You Can't Win Jack and Predictions contests.
For our SP players, remember: just the LAST NAME of the player, unless two players with the same last name play on the same day.
Per Christopher Clarey, the WTA says they have received an assurance that Peng is safe but haven't spoken to her. Do we believe this?
Liam Broady tweeted #WhereIsPengShuai, also. But it's been a dismal showing from the players' corner, as far as I can tell. A few other players have tweeted... Cornet, Tara Moore, I'm sure some others but I had to scroll past too many non-player tweets in the Top tab without seeing any. Perhaps are they being advised not to, for her safety?
This was a reply to a reader who said that none of the players in Guadalajara would prefer to play for a bigger paycheck in China if the Chinese did something to Peng, and the reader suggested asking them. It wasn't the David Law tweet that Wertheim appears to have quote-tweeted below.
Both the ATP, the WTA and other entities (specially the NBA), have made a commitment to play and engage in China, when everybody knows it is a brutal dictatorship and a place where human rights are non-existent for opponents of the regime. The younger generations did not see the Tiananmen Square Massacre in 1989 because they were not born yet and it has been actively blocked from being a news worthy of coverage ever since.
The WTA should rightly be concerned for Shuai's safety, but there is nothing that can be done. It would be the same as if Aryna or Vika were to disappear in Belarus. These countries are not dictatorships for no reason.
ponchi101 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 14, 2021 9:48 pm
Oh, sure Stephanie. Let's have ONE male reporter ask a female player if she had menstrual-related issues. For sure nothing is going to happen to that man. Nothing.
Huh? What's going to happen to the male reporter? Will a period monster appear if he says "menstruation" 3 times? Being afraid to ask something inappropriate because "I'm a man, I don't understand periods. EWWW" is a poor excuse for not doing 10 minutes of Google research or speaking to a female friend or relative.
Serena Williams actually discussed at length her pretty-common condition of menstrual migraines and went on to promote medication for it.
This whole situation with Peng Shuai always puts one of two phrases into my head:
Lay down with dogs you get up with fleas or "you knew darn well I was a snake before you took me in".
“Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the Great Mystery into which we were born.” Albert Einstein
Huh? What's going to happen to the male reporter? Will a period monster appear if he says "menstruation" 3 times? Being afraid to ask something inappropriate because "I'm a man, I don't understand periods. EWWW" is a poor excuse for not doing 10 minutes of Google research or speaking to a female friend or relative.
Serena Williams actually discussed at length her pretty-common condition of menstrual migraines and went on to promote medication for it.
-----
Hope Peng Shuai is just in hiding.
What could happen? In this "cancel culture", "perennially offended" environment, what could happen?
Remember the guy that asked Naomi that question about how she was handling both her mental health issues and her media presence, and then all hell broke loose because he had been "aggressive"? I would say that at a minimum, a male reporter asking a women if she had her period would lose his assignment, at worst his job.
Also, how would you phrase the question? "Iga, today you played not at your usual level. In what section of your menstrual cycle are you?".
Thanks for the bit about Serena.
Huh? What's going to happen to the male reporter? Will a period monster appear if he says "menstruation" 3 times? Being afraid to ask something inappropriate because "I'm a man, I don't understand periods. EWWW" is a poor excuse for not doing 10 minutes of Google research or speaking to a female friend or relative.
Serena Williams actually discussed at length her pretty-common condition of menstrual migraines and went on to promote medication for it.
-----
Hope Peng Shuai is just in hiding.
What could happen? In this "cancel culture", "perennially offended" environment, what could happen?
Remember the guy that asked Naomi that question about how she was handling both her mental health issues and her media presence, and then all hell broke loose because he had been "aggressive"? I would say that at a minimum, a male reporter asking a women if she had her period would lose his assignment, at worst his job.
Also, how would you phrase the question? "Iga, today you played not at your usual level. In what section of your menstrual cycle are you?".
Thanks for the bit about Serena.
I agree with you, Ponchi. If i were a male reporter, I'd most likely have some qualms about it. It feels too personal. And wondering if a woman is on her period has been a condescending comment in the past, too - a way to dismiss women's feelings. Perhaps it would go over just fine, or asked as a general "how are you feeling? any physical issues today?", but it's reasonable to worry about it. I wouldn't feel too comfortable asking someone about it.
The Cincinnati reporter who asked Osaka the question wasn't inappropriate in the least yet still took a lot of heat. It happened to strike a nerve with her, but it was professionally asked and considered.
Last edited by meganfernandez on Mon Nov 15, 2021 8:24 pm, edited 3 times in total.
I think that women, especially athletes, downplay the role their menstrual cycles play in their training and performance because it opens the door to the dismissive "female problems" catch all phrase men use when women are a bit off professionally.
I have to agree that it would be very difficult for a man to raise the question. It shouldn't be but there's no avoiding the problems that reporter would face.
Maybe Iga is young enough to not be aware of the code of silence re menstrual cycles and women athletes I don't know.
“Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the Great Mystery into which we were born.” Albert Einstein
ti-amie wrote: ↑Mon Nov 15, 2021 7:07 pm
I think that women, especially athletes, downplay the role their menstrual cycles play in their training and performance because it opens the door to the dismissive "female problems" catch all phrase men use when women are a bit off professionally.
I have to agree that it would be very difficult for a man to raise the question. It shouldn't be but there's no avoiding the problems that reporter would face.
Maybe Iga is young enough to not be aware of the code of silence re menstrual cycles and women athletes I don't know.
I think these things are less taboo with younger generations. Just one factor. I'm curious about cultural difference, too. Just as some cultures don't sexualize nudity like the US does, maybe some don't consider periods taboo.
One thing is something being taboo, another thing is being personal. I had a GF once that had terrible menstrual cycles, in the sense that she really felt awful during those days. I kept track of her cycle because I knew that, during those days, she was not feeling well and I did not want her to be any more uncomfortable; those days, I tried to be less of a jerk than usual. Well, one time something happened and I said something along the lines of "I know you are not feeling well, and blah blah blah (about whatever the issue was)" and she asked how I knew she had her period. I explained that I kept track and she exploded. How dared I keep track of that.
It is not taboo. It is personal. As Suliso says, if the woman explains so, fine. Other than that, it is truly nobody's business. It has nothing to do with it being eww or anything (which, of course, it isn't).
Huh? What's going to happen to the male reporter? Will a period monster appear if he says "menstruation" 3 times? Being afraid to ask something inappropriate because "I'm a man, I don't understand periods. EWWW" is a poor excuse for not doing 10 minutes of Google research or speaking to a female friend or relative.
Serena Williams actually discussed at length her pretty-common condition of menstrual migraines and went on to promote medication for it.
-----
Hope Peng Shuai is just in hiding.
What could happen? In this "cancel culture", "perennially offended" environment, what could happen?
Remember the guy that asked Naomi that question about how she was handling both her mental health issues and her media presence, and then all hell broke loose because he had been "aggressive"? I would say that at a minimum, a male reporter asking a women if she had her period would lose his assignment, at worst his job.
Also, how would you phrase the question? "Iga, today you played not at your usual level. In what section of your menstrual cycle are you?".
Thanks for the bit about Serena.
Yeah, I 100% am not suggesting people, MALE OR FEMALE, should ask others if they're on their period or hypothesize if that's why someone lost. I'm referring to either asking follow-up questions if a player volunteers this information or potentially asking a general question about how menstrual cycles affect them or how they manage playing through this, etc.
Translation
Being afraid to ask something inappropriate because "I'm a man, I don't understand periods. EWWW" is a poor excuse for not doing 10 minutes of Google research or speaking to a female friend or relative. 
