Sexism x 2? Jessica Ennis Hill's coach says she's the GOAT because she gave birth to a baby and D. Thompson didn't

Stop trying to understand the concept that nine months of pregnancy might be an impediment to world class training and head off to the Trump rally. You'll find less to challenge your world view.

I found the following quote from Ennis-Hill's coach to be fascinating on from an intellectual level as it's rare to find a quote that appears to be sexist against both men and women at the very same time.http://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/37665892

Toni Minichiello said:

"To win a home Olympics, again that would define you, To come back after pregnancy as a mum and how organise time and win a world title and Olympic medal, anyone of those individually would all define a career. To have done all four, that is staggering."

"She is better than Daley Thompson, he never gave birth and came back and won, he trained and trained. To balance her home life and do that makes her the best British athlete ever."

1. While he's trying to praise Ennis Hill, isn't he being a bit sexist against women as it implies that they are in charge of rearing the child and organising her time around the kid? Why couldn't her husband or day care take care of the kid when she's training?

2. Isn't it also being sexist against men as men can't give birth and thus could never win the GOAT title in his mind?

Shouldn't it be GBOAT (Greatest Brit of All Time)?

you don't make any sense at all. First, it's obvious that Thompson was a much better athlete, both absolutely and within his event/gender. Second, it was Ennis Hill's decision to have a child during her peak athletic years. Third, it was a feat to come back, but then many women come back from pregnancy to compete on the world stage. This year, Tirunesh Dibaba came back to run sub 30 and pr.

I think it's a stretch to call it sexist vs looking at it in context. Did Thompson ever have an injury that kept him from optimal training for 9 months in between his two Olympics? And the time constraints apply to both parents after a child is born no matter how many nannies a person has but from what I can tell Thompson didn't have any kids until after his 2nd Olympic gold medal. I think that's a big distinction in terms of being able to focus 100% on yourself and your training. Once people have kids everything else is secondary.

I think it's pretty sexist to ask the question of whether or not it's sexist. It seems like it's honestly a great testament to Jessica's coach to argue for her like this. It shows that he's invested in her life and cares for her both as an athlete and a mother.

None of us men know personally what giving birth is like and the way in which it affects a body physically. Some of us may know what it's like to care for a child in those early months - the lack of sleep, the worrying, etc.

But mostly, given that being the GOAT of track and field is a subjective thing and a relatively small deal in the world at large, it's just a little off-putting that anybody would question this statement as anything other than a coach supporting his athlete. To extend it to the realm of sexism is just jarring, and, like I said, a little sexist itself. It's like, why is that your first reaction? Why can't we simply celebrate Jessica for being both a great athlete and a mother?

I still can't believe you went to any Ivy league school.

What were your SAT scores?

We're all overthinking it. The obstacles that you overcome to achieve a performance are independent of how we rate that performance. Do we try to assess Geb and Bekele's childhoods and figure out who had a tougher road to pro running when talking about who is GOAT? Is Tom Brady better than Montana because he had to do what he did after media became a bigger off he field distraction for players?

Coach, not quote (the #2 time) wrote:

Shouldn't it be GBOAT (Greatest Brit of All Time)?

Spot on...but shouldn't Sir Roger Bannister be at the top of the list as he couldn't get Granny to mind his medical school studies while he trained?

Loads of female sports players come back from pregnancy. It's obviously not that hard to do.

Women exaggerate how hard it is .

It is truly astonishing the things that capture your attention and trigger a response. It is hard for me to comprehend how it is that a person exposed to the finest educational institutions that this country has to offer could have the reactions you do to such mundane bits of hyperbole. You get hung up on bathrooms and now this.

A coach is supporting and singing the praises of his athlete. He is comparing his athlete to other great athletes and making mention of something that distinguishes her. Why would you take it so literal and serious?

Calm down dude I just thought it was an interesting quote to analyze from an intellectual standpoint. It wasn't my first reaction. It was just the only interaction I thought was worth talking about on the messageboard.

It's interesting because he's praising her and trying to elevate women for being 'working moms' but in doing so he's also a little bit supporting sexist stereotypes that it's the woman's job to take care of the kids.

Regardless, in my mind, when you are determining the GOAT, you look at results, not obstacles overcome. It's a simple question of who has the best CV?

Just as the guy below says.

rojo wrote:

Calm down dude I just thought it was an interesting quote to analyze from an intellectual standpoint. It wasn't my first reaction. It was just the only interaction I thought was worth talking about on the messageboard.

It's interesting because he's praising her and trying to elevate women for being 'working moms' but in doing so he's also a little bit supporting sexist stereotypes that it's the woman's job to take care of the kids.

You say "calm down" and then you are right back to it with your next sentence.

You are special, rojo.

Lol no need to get defensive, Rojo. I think my response was very calm. It even used great grammar! Oh well.

My qualm is that this is your reaction to a statement like this, that you bring up sexism when the coach is making a relatively banal and, honestly, valid point. I'd love to argue the merits of what makes a runner the GOAT - how it should only be about the "facts" (ie. fast times, medals won). However, I think just the simple fact that you brought up sexism in a fairly un-nuanced way (your comment about this being sexist towards woman because it reinforces a stereotype of women as the sole child-rearers is so out of left field) shows that you probably suffer from some sort of toxic masculinity that is consistently looking (perhaps without your knowledge!) of ways to defend men from attacks that don't really exist. That's all, dude. Calm down. :)

The GOAT of British athletes is Alistair Brownlee. It's not even close.

moran

an absolutely ridiculous attempt to interpret

1/10 for your FAIL

how can you miss his point so bad

i know you're just trying to make some cash by sensationalizing this for your legion of morans, but seriously? and you claim ivy league connections?

No it's stating facts.

The coach's whole argument is retarded.

She isn't even the greatest British athlete. She isn't even the greatest British track athlete. She isn't even the greatest British multisport athlete, for God's sake.

The coach is just a lying marketer.

Saying she is better than men because she gave birth is just more idiocy.

I think it'd be more sexist to say that the name "Toni" is more of a woman's name than a bloke's.