Welcome to “Athlos” a weekly Wednesday blog which examines pillars of personal excellence and regularly brings together the worlds of spirituality and sport.
Foolish talk
“Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place but rather, thanksgiving. “-Ephesians 5: 4
Far from funny
Many of us are familiar with the saying that “laughter is the best medicine.” There is so much truth in this well-known expression, especially when the daily news often brings more sadness than joy. Yet, even with a concept as positive as good laughter, if it is mishandled, there can be negative consequences, even unintended ones.
Will Smith and Chris Rock made global headlines for all the wrong reasons when the former believed that the latter crossed the line in terms of appropriate humour. Comedy, indeed, is a two-edged sword. More recently, one female sports journalist attending an awards ceremony in Scotland also found the content of one of the main speakers far from funny.
The presenter’s jokes were described by many as sexist, racist and misogynistic. Sadly, women were again at the centre of coarse joking, causing many attendees to leave the event in protest. BBC Sport recently cited an excerpt from a joint statement from two entities, Kick It Out and Women in Sport. Here is a piece of it:
“Women face sexism and misogyny in society and this is often exacerbated when they play a role in football or other sports – whether they’re a player, a pundit or fan. That must change…”
So soon after Mother’s Day, this is a sobering reminder of the magnitude of the problem to be addressed. Women must be treasured, valued and respected in all facets of life. They must not be the target of violence, verbal abuse or distasteful jokes. The narrative can be changed.
Love women. Cherish women. Show them honour.
Far-reaching effect
How we treat women has far-reaching impact, whether for good or bad. It is up to us to make that trajectory a lasting positive one.
If you were inspired by this blog, please consider sharing it with one other person today. To learn more about these and other related themes that promote the cultivation of an integrated inner self, read UNBEATABLE! which is available on Amazon in print and as an e-book.
This Post Has 4 Comments
Thanks for this Tyrone; not every “joke” is appropriate or even funny. Actually, a lot of what passes for humour can be downright offensive. I have found that as a Christian, I definitely have to keep my wits about me in social situations.
Couldn’t resist the play on words there ☺️
Thanks for your thoughtful feedback, Janelle.
Thank you Tyrone. This has often be a sore thumb for me as it relates to my culture. Some people would say I am not a true Jamaican because of my dislike for a lot of the music’s content and often directed at women and how they are referred to in the content of the song. It would upset me even more when women would big up the song.
Thanks for sharing so truthfully, Michelle.