[News] The Assault on Jenni Hermoso

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Emma Hayes offers her thoughts in the Guardian which I can guarantee will contain understanding above the dull "whatabout x then eh, eh" that some think provide challenge here.

And apart from being a top manager I think she is one of the best pundits out there.

 

[FCB]

Rubiales is a selfish idiot.

But the worst thing is he's not even the biggest devil of Spanish football.

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...n-gone-beginning-not-end-moving-the-goalposts

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

Rubiales is a selfish idiot.

But the worst thing is he's not even the biggest devil of Spanish football.

Spain is in the middle of a political crisis and the issues in the RFEF and their response to the assault on Jenni Hermoso is just one manifestation of that.

Remember that Spain's fascist dictatorship is only roughly 40 years in the past and many of the leading elders of the PP (Spain's equivalent of the Tories) have their roots very firmly Franco's Falange. Furthermore, like in other European countries there has been the rise of the far-right - in the guise of Vox in Spain. The elections in July created a scenario that only a coalition of the PP and Vox (who got 15% of the vote) could form a government. They would have no problem being part of the same government - but they both know there would be a massive backlash on the streets if that government was formed.

The far-right have deep-seated roots in Spanish society because of the proximity of the dictatorship in history - mass graves from the Franco era are still being discovered. In particular there has been resistance to the implementation of progressive rights for women. Divorce was only legalised after the death of Franco - full abortion rights implemented in 2010. The response of the state to the gang-rape of a 14 year old girl in Bilbao by 5 men in 2016 provoked a wave of revulsion - with the state being accused of failing to act to protect women from assault and violence by men. This was compounded when the so-called 'wolf pack' saw the charge of sexual assault (the equivalent of rape) being dropped. Under Spanish law a victim has to be subjected to violence or intimidation for the perpetrators to be charged with rape - the 14 year-old was unconscious when she was gang-raped, she had been plied with alcohol and drugs - so the court decided that the case did not constitute rape under Spanish law. The five men were convicted of the lesser charge of sexual abuse. This was one of a series of trials involving gang rape where the perpetrators got away without being charged with rape. The wolf-pack case led to massive protests throughout Spain in 2018 and 2019 during the trial.

Both the PP and Vox campaigned on restricting abortion rights, ruled out changing the rape laws, repealing supports for the LGBTQ+ community etc. This was mixed in with the usual racism and xenophobia common to right-wing and far-right parties in Europe. Spanish society and government is riddled with racist and misogynist attitudes.

This is the backdrop to the assault on Hermoso and why it has become such an important issue in Spanish society.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

If this thread is going to be turned into a Left vs Right thing rather than what it is which is about misogyny and macho culture then OP you have missed the point completely. If that’s why you started the thread then you don’t care about Jenny Hermoso’s treatment. Basically you are as bad as they are and I am not going to argue the point.

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

If this thread is going to be turned into a Left vs Right thing rather than what it is which is about misogyny and macho culture then OP you have missed the point completely. If that’s why you started the thread then you don’t care about Jenny Hermoso’s treatment. Basically you are as bad as they are and I am not going to argue the point.

Misogyny and macho culture is part of a mechanism of control by the right-wing - just as racism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia etc. - at the end of the day it is about limiting the rights of women and oppressed minorities for political purposes. The RFEF is riddled with people who have their history and their parents history as part of the Franco dictatorship. Rubiales assaulted Hermoso to send a message - I (and men - specifically white men who have controlled Spain and Spanish imperialist culture for centuries) are in charge and we can do what we want - you are to keep your mouth shut and do what you are told (and that is a plural 'you' to the entire squad).

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Misogyny and macho culture is part of a mechanism of control by the right-wing - just as racism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia etc. - at the end of the day it is about limiting the rights of women and oppressed minorities for political purposes. The RFEF is riddled with people who have their history and their parents history as part of the Franco dictatorship. Rubiales assaulted Hermoso to send a message - I (and men - specifically white men who have controlled Spain and Spanish imperialist culture for centuries) are in charge and we can do what we want - you are to keep your mouth shut and do what you are told (and that is a plural 'you' to the entire squad).

I just think it’s a shame you have ruined your own thread. For me this is about knowing right from wrong and boundaries. I have experience of this kind of thing and have no interest in you politicizing it. I’m afraid I will have to put you on ignore.

 

[beorhthelm]

If this thread is going to be turned into a Left vs Right thing rather than what it is which is about misogyny and macho culture then OP you have missed the point completely. If that’s why you started the thread then you don’t care about Jenny Hermoso’s treatment. Basically you are as bad as they are and I am not going to argue the point.

it always was, just took a few pages and post to make it overt.

 

[Jolly Red Giant]

I just think it’s a shame you have ruined your own thread. For me this is about knowing right from wrong and boundaries. I have experience of this kind of thing and have no interest in you politicizing it. I’m afraid I will have to put you on ignore.

Lot's of people do - including me - and yes for the individual victim it is about how they deal with the trauma. But on a societal basis the reality is that it is political. It is the political establishment that refuse to act in the interests of victims and reinforce the traditional oppression of women and minorities. You cannot separate the two if you want to work to remove misogyny and a macho culture from society.

And by the way - the Spanish women's team are only too well aware of this - they have been fighting the RFEF and the Spanish government for more than a decade to be treated as equals.

 

[Weststander]

Lot's of people do - including me - and yes for the individual victim it is about how they deal with the trauma. But on a societal basis the reality is that it is political. It is the political establishment that refuse to act in the interests of victims and reinforce the traditional oppression of women and minorities. You cannot separate the two if you want to work to remove misogyny and a macho culture from society.

And by the way - the Spanish women's team are only too well aware of this - they have been fighting the RFEF and the Spanish government for more than a decade to be treated as equals.

In fairness to @Jolly Red Giant, I don’t think he’s saying here that moderate right wing politicians/supporters are any more violators of females than those of the centre and left. I hope so. Perverts, entitled abusers come from every part of male society. I’d cite Oxfam officials overseas abusing females, females across UK political parties being assaulted or pressured by old perverts.

There’s a culture in Spain and other nations eg Greece and in eastern Europe where women are objectivised, if attacked the question is “What did she do wrong to cause it?” The popular far right in Spain are disgusting, rewriting accepting history, worshipping a fascist murderer of modern times. As with Trump supporters it comes with other vile views. This is interesting and worthy of his insights.

 

[ManOfSussex]

Rubiales resigns......

 

[Beach Hut]

Adios, you loathsome prick

Spanish FA president Rubiales resigns over Hermoso kiss

Luis Rubiales resigns as president of the Spanish Football Federation after widespread criticism for kissing forward Jenni Hermoso at the Women's World Cup.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Yes - against Jenni Hermoso and against the entire women's squad for refusing to play while Rubiales is still in his job. Hermoso was threatened with a lawsuit for 'telling lies' about Rubiales.

As for the team - there is a sports law in Spain that is a legacy of the fascist dictatorship of Franco that basically states that Spanish sports people are legally bound to represent Spain if selected.

Have you ever posted a message here that doesn’t include 'fascist' or 'fascism'? I’m not keen on these things either but you do seem just a tiny bit obsessive.

 

[clapham_gull]

Bizarre last few weeks.

If he had immediately apologised and learnt from it it would have sent a far more powerful message.

As for this being a left / right wing issue, complete nonsense. It's about a power imbalance between men and women which has existed in left wing circles too.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I just think it’s a shame you have ruined your own thread. For me this is about knowing right from wrong and boundaries. I have experience of this kind of thing and have no interest in you politicizing it. I’m afraid I will have to put you on ignore.

Given that only those who are NSC right wingers think the bloke did nothing wrong, and none of our NSC left wingers think he did not do something wrong, and one side or the other equates their latest disagreement with their allegiance then, yes, it is a left vs right thing. If you consider yourself on the right, and consider that the bloke did something wrong, good.

On this occasion, also, @Jolly Red Giant is correct to link the entitlement of the bloke and his supporters with the traditional arrangements created by Spain's right wing.

There is no need to get shirty about that

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

it always was, just took a few pages and post to make it overt.

I wonder whether @wellquickwoody gave you a thumbs up because he is pleased it has turned into a left versus right thing, or disappointed.

I'd like to see some people on the right stepping forward and owning the condemnation of this entitled Spanish arsehole.

Edit: hats off to @Beach Hut above

 

[The Rivet]

Entrenched left/right viewpoint partisan politics are invading every aspect of life. It's tedious.

 

[Bakero]

Bizarre last few weeks.

If he had immediately apologised and learnt from it it would have sent a far more powerful message.

As for this being a left / right wing issue, complete nonsense. It's about a power imbalance between men and women which has existed in left wing circles too.

Of course, the rightwing doesn't have a monopoly on male chauvinism but in this case, the political context in Spain is highly relevant.

 

[clapham_gull]

Of course, the rightwing doesn't have a monopoly on male chauvinism but in this case, the political context in Spain is highly relevant.

Was it the "political context" in this country where it's been brushed under the carpet in left wing circles or in other institutions where you "couldn't possibly believe it could happen.." ?

It just diverts from the dickhead responsible.

 

[Me and my Monkey]

I wonder if he's sorry. Like, really, really sorry. Two weeks to mull things over and realise the great mistake and upset he's caused and understands that to continue in his position would be just to compound the original insult to Jenni and womankind, and he's better than that, yes, he truly is, you know. If these last two weeks have taught him anything, it's about how to show respect for your fellow human being and demonstrate a sense of humility and ability to learn from previous mistakes because, hell, we can all make them, can't we? It's just about learning from our mistakes and being a better person for them.

Nah, probably not.