Rugby blokes

Asher over at Anarchia has been publishing the writing on power and oppression he is doing at university.  There’s been some thought-provoking stuff there about race and class in Aotearoa, and his most recent looks at the impact of rugby culture on how men here “do” masculinity.

Good stuff – would have personally liked to see some stuff in there about players and violence against women as well.  Sitiveni Sivivatu and his history of partner violence – which includes pleading guilty to assault.  All Black coach Graham Henry’s endorsement (later withdrawn) of Tony Veitch. 

Or the most recent display of complete and utter contempt of women – not rugby this time but league – in an incident the players call “group sex” and the one woman in the room calls “degrading sexual violation”:

“They were the players, they started it off and they did lots of the main stuff, but then there were four other guys, five other guys . . . who did heaps of gross other stuff and they’re just as bad as those two.

Other people were just standing around with no clothes on; so many people were just standing there with their pants off, with no clothes on, just watching like it was a show. Just getting off on the other guys.

I was just stunned and shocked. I didn’t help them do anything.”

The woman said she had been told by police that the Sharks players were arguing it was consensual.

“If it was consented, they did nothing wrong. It was morally wrong, but not criminally wrong if I consented.

It’s all of them saying it was consented, against me.”

Male sport has a lot to answer for alright.  Thanks Asher 🙂