Quote:
Originally Posted by skydiver8
I'm pretty sure Former DJ was using an example to illustrate the horrific double standard that all women live with every day of their lives. Strong men are praised (or at least ignored). Strong women are called names, characterized as cold or heartless, and given a pat on the head and told to calm down or relax.
His diatribe wasn't worthless. He was calling you out for falling victim to that same double standard. It isn't that you commend Hellmuth. It's that you don't vocally condemn him for the same acts that you call out Vanessa Selbst for. It probably wasn't even personal, you just happened to be a convenient example.
How about back to the subject at hand? This thread is fascinating to me, and I still think adding Main Event seats to the WSOP ladies' event prize pool or running ladies' only satellites are some of the better ways to get more women into the ME.
skydiver8:
Nice catch. This "double standard" as applied to good women poker players was exactly the point I was driving at. (If I hurt airwave16's "feelings" or put "words in his mouth," then I'm ever so sorry ...)
The fact that this "commentator" (or whoever he was) attacked Vanessa over her sexuality was even more reprehensible. What in hell does anyone's sexual orientation have to do with how they play poker? It was a vicious comment meant to cut - plain and simple. (Apparently this chap understood that he had erred as he later "apologized" to Vanessa via Twitter, but one can only wonder if this fellows "apology" was more influenced by a concern over losing his commentator job than any true regret.)
Here's where the double standard applies in spades. If Vanessa were a male (rather than a female) player and "he" was a heterosexual; most of the commentary would be about how great a poker player this "guy" is - with no mention of his sexuality. It really bugs a certain type of male player when an admitted lesbian player plays the way Vanessa plays, (i.e. tough, aggressive, fearless - and damn good to boot), and she doesn't hesitate to throw it right back in somebody's face when they try to belittle her. I admire her all the more for meeting that kind of bigotry with courage and determination. She's not going to take that kind of abuse sitting down - and it drives some guys nuts. Good for Vanessa.
I would really love to see Vanessa win the Main Event at the WSOP. Such an outcome might drive some of the haters to commit suicide. How tragic that would be! And no, airwave16, I'm not lumping you in with the haters. I'm referring specifically to individuals like this "commentator" who started this mess to begin with. His correct response to Vanessa's angry retort should have been, "I'm terribly sorry, I did not mean that the way it sounded ..." Instead he saw fit to follow up by calling her a "****ing lesbian!" It was an angry comment meant to cut and belittle - plain and simple. If the player had been somebody like Phil Ivey or Doyle Brunson, does anybody believe this "commentator" would have called their play a "gay bet"?
Former DJ