The mere idea of a woman having more or equal knowledge about sports than a man has become a joke for many in our society. It continues to be a center of negativity that inhibits the ability of aspiring female journalists to take a foothold in the sports world.

The problem is perfectly underscored in the way female reporters are treated by male athletes and their fans. Recently, the quarterback of the Carolina Panthers, Cam Newton, had a less than satisfying response to a female reporter’s question. The reporter, Jourdan Rodrigue, asked about Newton’s receivers running routes successfully.

“It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes,” Newton said to Rodrigue.

She approached Newton about his response after the postgame press conference had concluded. He did not apologize for his comments, according to Rodrigue.

While this comment seems especially troubling, it is only a fraction of the internal attitudes that plague a male dominated sports scene. I am sure that Cam Newton is not the only player in the league who has thought that being asked a technical question by a woman was funny. I am even more sure that the problem isn’t only in the NFL; it happens in all leagues, at all levels of play.

This may sound ironic coming from a male journalist who will never have to experience this type of disrespect. Despite my lack of personal experience with the issue, it is still terribly disappointing to learn that fellow journalists are put into a separate category of relevance just because of their gender.

Gender has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of work that can be done in any career, including careers in sports.

Just because women can’t play in the National Football League doesn’t mean that they can’t understand the sport. The saddest aspect of this problem is that some of the men who think and feel the way that Cam Newton do can’t explain what a read-option offense is or differentiate between a curl and a post route themselves.

I think many people forget that, just like any other career, journalists have multiple responsibilities.Their job does not only consist of asking questions. Rodrigue’s inquiry about the Panthers’ route tree wasn’t pulled out of thin air. It was crafted from research and passion for her work.

Newton puts in hours studying film and practicing for his upcoming opponent. Yet, he overlooked the fact that female sports reporters have to spend just as much time researching statistics, breaking down important plays from the game and interviewing players.   

There are a few iconic women in sports broadcasting that set a hopeful precedent for all the rest behind the scenes. Women such as Michelle Tafoya, who is a major figure on

Sunday Night Football, has to work ten times harder than her male colleagues to earn the same amount of respect they receive.

In an interview with the Star Tribune, Tafoya detailed her weekly routine in preparation for Sunday nights. She arrives for games three days ahead of time and studies playbooks and game film almost as extensively as the teams and players she covers.

It is also important to remember that nobody is perfect at their job; experience fuels our ability to complete our job more effectively. Many female reporters are around sports so much that they learn what they don’t know, just like every man who watches and reports on sports.

The die-hard male Bears fan only knows so much about football from watching every game each season. The attitude that women encounter makes it seem like they are missing a college degree. A male reporter who would ask the same question that Rodrigue asked didn’t attend any further schooling. He didn’t have an epiphany about a deeper knowledge of football. His only difference is the fact that he is a man.

Men are mistakenly viewed as being the only ones naturally knowledgeable of sports to some degree.

On top of the preconceived ideas society already has, men further inhibit growth. It never seems to occur because men refuse to let women have a voice when it comes to sports, despite the fact that most men probably wish their wife or girlfriend wanted to watch sports instead of a show on Netflix.

The irony is that when women finally decide to make a comment about a game, it gets shrugged off and called irrelevant.

Personally, I have encountered many friends who have also laughed when a woman expresses her opinion about a game. From partaking in multiple fantasy football leagues, I have experienced comments that are along the lines of “Don’t worry guys, she will come in last” or “She’ll be an easy win.”

On the surface, jokes like this seem like harmless banter amongst guys. They might not be direct hurtful attacks on women. However, when the line is drawn and this type of attitude continues to be acceptable, it becomes extremely detrimental to a woman’s ability to have a voice in sports.

A shift in the overall role a woman can have in sports will only occur once all male athletes and reporters stop brushing off the opinions and actions of their female counterparts.