It takes a beaver to know a beaver...

Chewing on language
Sunday, November 4, 2007

I am Christy Lochrie, man hater. Watch me chew.

Gotta love those R-S.com commenters. Seems, ‘cause I dared quote women referring to themselves and teammates with the b-word in Sunday’s feature story about the Angry Beavers, a women’s roller derby team, I’m an evil, man-hating reporter.

Say what?

On a personal note, I’m not into this women-dissing culture of cut-downs, objectification and feminine insults. Oh, and the creative words that can be slung in an attempt to zing a woman into her place. (Translation: Submission.)

But all you have to do is walk outside and – bam – there it is. In your face. Heck, you don’t even have to walk outside. Flip on the TV, radio or watch a movie. It’s there. In conversations. In our culture.

I don’t like it. But last time I checked, the world didn’t yield to my liking. It’s the way people – not all people – but certainly many people, talk. Especially, for reasons I can’t quite figure, teens and 20-somethings. I've heard empowerment used as an explanation, but I don't get it.

I would cringe if someone referred to me as a beaver.
(Plug it into urbandictionary.com if you need a quick definition.)
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Beaver

And I’ve launched – quite recently at a man who I was seeing – for tossing the B-word my way. (He said it was a term of endearment. I say bull. He says he loves feminist women. I say it ain’t so because respect is a tenant of feminism and, in my view, there’s nothing respectful about using derogatory names to chip away at anyone’s stature – male or female.)

But those are my ideals and inform my life. (Not that I’m perfect by any stretch.)
(NoP&P comment: "Yeah, that's a frickin' under statement!!")

But I argued with editors to keep those quotes in the story not because I liked them. But because it gave a glimpse into the rough-and-tumble world of roller derby and the female athletes who live it. It’s their gig, not mine.
(NoP&P comment: "Read the comment below from one of the actual roller derby teammates, and see how frickin' wrong Christy got the story!! Christy, you can't even play sports, so why do you think you can write about them? Way to go, Christy Lochrie!")

But man-hater. That’s a new one. Got one for a Dad. One for best friend. And more for dear friends. I date ‘em, am attracted to ‘em and I’ve loved a couple. But the commenter is right in one sense. Clashes come out of disrespect. But that’s true regardless of the gender.

And I think that was Dr. Jill Murray's point in the Dangerous Liaison's story from last week.

Chew on…

cLo

R.S. Commenter:
Posted by uwishuknew on November 9, 2007 at 12:09 p.m.

Christy Lochrie is the worst reporter ever!
She did not focus on the game only a 5min drill.
She made a hard sport sound like a WWF on skates.
I personally know she had the game explained to her 3 times and still did not get it.
Also the girls have roller derby names to protect their identity.
Roller derby is not our life, and we all have professional careers.
The fact that "bitch's" was put in the paper, I am shocked and offended!!! If it was said or not!

Christy Lochrie needs to grow up and be a more tactful reporter!
If she does not understand the sport she does not need to be covering or talking about it!
Now my girls are having problems with, and/or possibly loosing
their jobs because of Christy Lochrie's
misrepresentation and carelessness.
This was a desperate attempt to make a story.
She stereotyped the whole team to be tattooed and pierced,
when only 2 are, out of 22 girls.

The one girl with the most tattoos asked her specifically
not to mention them because it had nothing to do with the sport.
And she did as she pleased no matter what the consequences, or who it hurt.
We all were extremely excited to get roller derby out and talked about.
The story was a let down and negative.
I feel foolish to have expected better journalism from the Record Searchlight.

Dear UWISHYOUKNEW:
Thanks for your insightful comment.
We here at NoP&P feel your pain and anguish.
Unfortunately, this is Christy Lochrie's Modus Operandi as a reporter at the Record Searchlight.
Please pass the word that she is a horrible reporter, and needs to find a job with the National Enquirer or People Magazine instead.