Serena’s outburst common among athletes — but not women

I’ve seen too much in sports to be outraged by Serena Williams‘ outburst at the U.S. Open last weekend. I’ve seen world class athletes head-butt opponents, spit in the face of umpires, fire lethal serves at linespeople, tackle aging bench coaches.

I’ve seen it all. But rarely from a woman.

Which is why I can’t help but think that the outrage unleashed toward Williams in the past two days has something to do with her gender. She’s playing the sport of frilly underpants and dangly earrings, yet she came off last weekend as unhinged as Mike Tyson.

And Michael Kimmel wrote in Huffington Post

Ask yourself this: would the line judge have felt so threatened had she been yelled at by perky, pretty little Melanie Oudin, all 5 foot 6 of her bouncy teenage self?

How about a white man? White men can express anger and outrage — indeed, they’re supposed to. It’s one of the few emotional men are allowed to express — and we express it often, and often without penalty. And sometimes we go even further. Don’t get mad, the saying goes, get even.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-kimmel/double-fault-serenass-los_b_285039.html