Kara Biernat is a senior telecommunications and journalism major and writes "Outta Left Field" for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily agree with those of the newspaper. Write to Kara at karabiernat@gmail.com.
Cam Newton, reporter for Cosmopolitan Magazine, approaches me and asks about the process I went through when contouring my face with a pallet of makeup.
I look at him, giggle and say, “It’s funny to hear a male talk about makeup.”
However, I am impressed that he knows about a hobby that is primarily known as a task a woman takes on, just as running routes in the game of football is commonly known as a task a male that plays football takes on.
Newton, an actual professional football player in the NFL, answered a question from Panthers beat reporter Jourdan Rodrique of the Charlotte Observer in a press conference following a Panthers 27-24 win over the Lions.
“I know you take a lot of pride in seeing your receivers play well. [Panthers wide receiver] Devin Funchess has seemed to really embrace the physicality of his routes and getting those extra yards,” Rodrigue said. “Does that give you a little bit of an enjoyment to see him kind of truck-sticking people out there?”
Newton replied and said, “It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes.”
He then found his composure and respectively answered the question. Following the press conference, headlines read “Cam Newton makes sexist remark and smirks at female reporter’s question.” Newton is now a sexist and has his career on the line.
As a female who has loved and more importantly, understood sports my entire life, I am not offended. I am a woman involved in sports media and am still not offended. I have caused many surprised male faces with my deep knowledge and understanding of sports.
I see it as a compliment, just as Newton stated in his public apology he let out after his original comment turned heads in a way he wasn’t expecting.
“It was a lesson learned for me this whole week,” Newton said in a press conference. “My sarcasm trying to give somebody kind of a compliment turned in ways I never would have even imagined.”
Newton was not bashing the female beat reporter; he was simply shocked that she’d gone the extra mile in the sport of football and learned something that is primarily only taught in football practices. Newton is not sexist.
After losing a key sponsor in Dannon after the comment, Newton went on to extend his apology to women everywhere.
“To the daughters, the sisters and the women all around the world, I sincerely apologize and hope you can find the kindness in your heart to forgive me,” Newton said. The Panthers quarterback showed up to his last game with a feminist pin in his hat when he arrived to the field.
Newton is sorry, as should everyone that turned a harmless and natural statement into something it was not intended to be, should be sorry. He meant no harm and was just shocked, as I would be shocked if a male reporter asked me an in-depth question about contouring my face with makeup.
There are certain things that can be better related back to one gender, and this situation was one of them. Shame on everyone who has turned against a prestige figure in professional football.
Next time you want try and ruin a professional athlete’s image and career, don’t use a natural and meaningless comment to do it.
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