‘Bring a male colleague along’: The controversy between a Mississippi reporter and candidate for gov

[Tweener]

'Bring a male colleague along’: The controversy between a Mississippi reporter and candidate for governor - Poynter

A woman is covering the Mississippi governor’s race and is told that if she wants to shadow a male candidate for a 15-hour workday she’ll need to bring along a male coworker because the candidate has a policy about being alone with women who aren’t friends/family members.

What are your thoughts on what has become a national journalism debate?

 

[DanOregon]

I'd find the nastiest, least hygiened male colleague I could find and go forward.

 

[CD Boogie]

What a dickless wonder. His wife is probably getting plowed by the Mexican gardener.

 

[HanSenSE]

Dude is grandstanding.

And didn't we settle the issue of locker room access 30 years ago?

 

[cake in the rain]

'Bring a male colleague along’: The controversy between a Mississippi reporter and candidate for governor - Poynter

A woman is covering the Mississippi governor’s race and is told that if she wants to shadow a male candidate for a 15-hour workday she’ll need to bring along a male coworker because the candidate has a policy about being alone with women who aren’t friends/family members.

What are your thoughts on what has become a national journalism debate?

Given that we now must "BELIEVE WOMEN" even decades later, even in the absence of any supporting evidence, this strikes me as an altogether sensible policy.

That said, the situation could be more easily resolved by simply having another staff member present at all times (not making it incumbent on the reporter to bring a chaperone).

 

[Tweener]

Given that we now must "BELIEVE WOMEN" even decades later, even in the absence of any supporting evidence, this strikes me as an altogether sensible policy.

That said, the situation could be more easily resolved by simply having another staff member present at all times (not making it incumbent on the reporter to bring a chaperone).

Yeah, I think it behooves him to make sure he provides someone if that is his policy. Otherwise, it’s him who looks bad, whether it’s a sensible policy or not.

 

[Pilot]

Given that we now must "BELIEVE WOMEN" even decades later, even in the absence of any supporting evidence, this strikes me as an altogether sensible policy.

That said, the situation could be more easily resolved by simply having another staff member present at all times (not making it incumbent on the reporter to bring a chaperone).

Or, ORRRRRR, he could not rape or sexually assault anyone and have confidence he’s at no more danger of being accused of a crime than he would be with a male reporter, who could just as easily make up something, too, racist or off color if not sexual.

 

[Azrael]

I posted this on the Politics Thread:

The idea that a married man can't be around a woman unchaperoned is an insult to both.

It assumes all men are helpless and untrustworthy, and all women are seductresses.

It's a parody of Christianity - sexist Sharia nonsense.

Empty American evangelical virtue signaling.

 

[Azrael]

Given that we now must "BELIEVE WOMEN" even decades later, even in the absence of any supporting evidence, this strikes me as an altogether sensible policy.

That said, the situation could be more easily resolved by simply having another staff member present at all times (not making it incumbent on the reporter to bring a chaperone).

ALL CAPS OY

 

[DanOregon]

It's always made me wonder how much politicians in some states have to advertise their religiosity. I gather this guy is going for the "most Christian and conservative" vote in Miss. which isn't a bad strategy - Foster is likely to win in any event.

 

[cake in the rain]

Or, ORRRRRR, he could not rape or sexually assault anyone

Why do you think teachers try to avoid situations in which they are alone with a child? Why do they always keep the door open in a classroom when there's only one student present?
Ostensibly, it's a policy in place for the protection of children. But for those 99 percent of teachers who have no plans to abuse kids, it's more about protecting themselves from a false accusation that can destroy a career and a life.

 

[WriteThinking]

Why do you think teachers try to avoid situations in which they are alone with a child? Why do they always keep the door open in a classroom when there's only one student present?
Ostensibly, it's a policy in place for the protection of children. But for those 99 percent of teachers who have no plans to abuse kids, it's more about protecting themselves from a false accusation that can destroy a career and a life.

This analogy only sort of works, because the parties involved here both would be adults. That isn't the case with teachers and students.

My first questions to him, as a reporter, of course, would be "Why? What are you planning to do with me?"

He needs to stop pretending he's Billy Graham. (I'd bet anything he first heard of this policy upon Graham's death, when it became widely known and reported that that was what he made a point never to do). From a reporting standpoint, it might even be worth looking into the candidate's past and any previous elections coverage to see if he held any similar policy back then, too.

 

[Pilot]

The whole implication of the policy is that women — specifically women, because there’s not a rule about men — lie and are looking for opportunities to take advantage of powerful men, to “get their 15 minutes” or some such bull****.

Anyone sexist enough to employ the policy should be disqualified, and anyone who’s, on top of that, stupid enough to actually broadcast being so sexist should be doubly disqualified.

 

[Azrael]

Why do you think teachers try to avoid situations in which they are alone with a child? Why do they always keep the door open in a classroom when there's only one student present?
Ostensibly, it's a policy in place for the protection of children. But for those 99 percent of teachers who have no plans to abuse kids, it's more about protecting themselves from a false accusation that can destroy a career and a life.

This analogy only works if the teacher requires a parent to be present for every interaction with a student.

 

[britwrit]

At last report, still lusting in his heart.

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

It's always made me wonder how much politicians in some states have to advertise their religiosity. I gather this guy is going for the "most Christian and conservative" vote in Miss. which isn't a bad strategy - Foster is likely to win in any event.

Even in Mississippi there’s a point where your typical mainline Baptist will go “Yeesh.”

 

[Elliotte Friedman]

A professor friend tells me this happens at college campuses everywhere. He wasn't surprised when he heard this.

Doug Christie comes to politics.

 

[HanSenSE]

Oddly, as I type this CNN is airing an interview of Pence with Pamela Brown (a solid 6, of course) and seems comfortable. Perhaps the camera crew has another male in it, or it's not a big deal.

 

[Tweener]

A professor friend tells me this happens at college campuses everywhere. He wasn't surprised when he heard this.

I wasn’t surprised, either. I actually once had a professor, a woman, who wouldn’t meet privately in her office with any men. I never considered it a universal distrust of us. I just think she wanted to avoid any potentially compromising, or at least awkward, situations. I don’t think it ever put me at a disadvantage.

With Foster, him denying a journalist certain privileges because she is a woman does put her at an unfair disadvantage. Even if the “policy” were well intentioned, some concessions should’ve been made to avoid that, I believe.

 

[tapintoamerica]

Problem is that his justification alternates between his strong Christian beliefs and the practical concerns of running for office in 2019.