Former ESPN reporter Britt McHenry and current ESPN reporter Sarah Spain got in a huge Twitter fight on Monday over sexism, feminism, and what they did to get where they are.
The fight started after McHenry came to the defense of fellow former ESPN reporter Ed Werder, who had taken exception to a Sports Illustrated writer who posted about a job opening, preferably seeking female applicants.
After Werder came under fire for insisting that qualifications should be the only factor in determining whether someone gets hired — not their gender — McHenry defended her former colleague:
Ed Werder is the most talented NFL reporter I’ve ever met. He just made the Pro Football Hall last year. As a woman, I too can say the best applicant should get a job regardless of race or gender. Reality is in media, those two things often get pushed first now. https://t.co/BKRik4U1Zp
— Britt McHenry (@BrittMcHenry) June 18, 2018
Never once did my parents say apply or tryout “because you’re a girl.” They told me to apply because I’m a hard worker. At ESPN, I never wanted to write for ESPNW. I wanted to be on the same page as the men. True equality. Novel concept… #EdWerder
— Britt McHenry (@BrittMcHenry) June 18, 2018
McHenry’s response brought a counter-response from ESPN reporter Sarah Spain:
https://twitter.com/SarahSpain/status/1008790887852314626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthespun.com%2Fnews%2Fbritt-mchenry-sarah-spain-twitter-debate
https://twitter.com/SarahSpain/status/1008791529656406017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthespun.com%2Fnews%2Fbritt-mchenry-sarah-spain-twitter-debate
https://twitter.com/SarahSpain/status/1008792198974976000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthespun.com%2Fnews%2Fbritt-mchenry-sarah-spain-twitter-debate
Then things escalated, dramatically:
You “broke” into the industry by selling yourself as a date on social media to get…Super Bowl tickets. You literally sold your body to get attention & then have the audacity to lecture women on feminism? I had opportunities to write for ESPNW and declined. https://t.co/xQn8tNX4n2
— Britt McHenry (@BrittMcHenry) June 18, 2018
People make mistakes. But I’m not over here telling people how to park their cars. The audacity and hypocrisy is astounding. I am a female, I was an athlete. Think I’m good in “understanding” what that means. Now someone pick up the mic, got things to do.
— Britt McHenry (@BrittMcHenry) June 18, 2018
Spain then let loose her own flurry of responses:
https://twitter.com/SarahSpain/status/1008806456664174592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthespun.com%2Fnews%2Fbritt-mchenry-sarah-spain-twitter-debate
https://twitter.com/SarahSpain/status/1008813917399863296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthespun.com%2Fnews%2Fbritt-mchenry-sarah-spain-twitter-debate
Then Spain made things very, very personal:
https://twitter.com/SarahSpain/status/1008814249844539393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthespun.com%2Fnews%2Fbritt-mchenry-sarah-spain-twitter-debate
McHenry decided to pick the mic back up after that one:
https://twitter.com/BrittMcHenry/status/1008818236585103360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthespun.com%2Fnews%2Fbritt-mchenry-sarah-spain-twitter-debate
You realize 250 people were laid off by ESPN last year. All of whom, you essentially just made fun of with this tweet. I have a job hosting 2 shows at a great station in DC, with a national venture to announce. This is so disgusting. Hope ESPN management is proud. https://t.co/VQx61Spq7C
— Britt McHenry (@BrittMcHenry) June 18, 2018
It’s just hard to believe that Ed Werder started all of this.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn
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