Eng 120 - Beyond the Locker Room

Michael Felder 1

Mrs. Griffith

Engl. 120/ Research Paper

May 19, 2011

Beyond the Locker Room

Ines Sainz, a female reporter from a Mexican television station, filed a claim against the members of the New York Jets football team. Ms.Sainz states, that while she was waiting to interview a member of the football team, she and a fellow reporter were sexually harassed. Ms.Sainz reported that she was groped and assaulted with footballs. The National Football League has agreed to investigate Sainz's allegations, but another matter captured America's attention: the right to privacy. The men of the New York Jets, right to privacy was violated when Ms.Sainz entered their locker room. As a result the blame should not entirely fall on The New York Jets football team. The situation could have been avoided if the N.F.L. had banned women from entering a men's locker room.

America is known for believing in equal rights and justice for all. It is not fair to allow a double standard in America's beloved sports society. When rules were created to prevent men from entering women's locker rooms, the same rules should have been created preventing women from entering men's locker rooms. In the mid 1970's there were dozens of sexual harassment reports in women's sports locker rooms (Baer 48). There were so many sexual harassment law suits that the American Sports Society decided to ban all men from entering women's locker rooms. The American Sports Society also ended all co-ed locker rooms in the sports community (Baer 53).

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There are currently no regulations banning from women entering a men's locker room, but that does not justify Ms.Sainz invading the New York Jets football team member's privacy.

If what happened to Ms. Sainz, is true, it was an unfortunate event. On the other hand if this situation had not happen then society may have not notice the double standard of rules existing in the locker rooms in the sports community.

The right to privacy is not a guaranteed right in America, but many people may interpret from the fourth amendment that it is a moral privilege among the American people. The fourth amendment of the Constitution of the United States gives American citizens the right against unreasonable searches in seizures (Constitution). From the fourth amendment some Americans believe they have the right to protect themselves and their property from other individuals (Mamola 4).

Some people believe that the players took advantage of Sainz and that she is the victim. Supporters also believe that the players did not show Sainz respect because she is a woman

(Hill 2). Some supporters of Sainz are also stating that the football team took advantage of her because the players were aware that she does not speak any English (Mamola1). Sainz also did not have any security with her for the interview. Some people are stating that the players violated Ms. Sainz, to poke fun at the fact that she wasn't an American (Hill 2). Other supporters believe that the officials in charge of the N.F.L. are just a bunch of male chauvinists, who do not want to help Ms. Sainz. Supporters are also using the first amendment in Sainz's defense

(Neal 6).The first amendment guarantees the right to freedom of press to American citizens (Constitution).

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Every claim that Sainz and her supporters are stating contain at least one flaw. How is it that the New York Jet football team members took advantage of Sainz? Most of the football players were unfamiliar with Inez Sainz and her media work (Hill 8). No representative from the New York Jets asked Ms. Sainz to come and conduct an interview; she begged for one (Hill 5).

When Ms. Sainz came to conduct the interview she was dressed inappropriately, wearing very fitting blue jeans with a white tank top that revealed her midriff and cleavage (Mamola 3). Sainz purposely provoked the men by coming dressed inappropriately, for an interview just so she could have a better story (Mamola 3).

Sainz had a trick up her sleeve from the moment she set the date for that interview. She knew that she was not a well known figure in the media community. Sainz believed that this was an opportunity for her to gain fame. Sainz purposely provoked the men by coming dressed unprofessional, for an interview just so she could gain the players attention, as well as the American people. She took advantage of this interview to become famous. Her job requires her to become familiar with people in the public eye as well as to become a public figure herself. Sainz knew that becoming a well-known figure in the media outlet would increase her pay and popularity. Sainz was aware that the N.F.L. did not have any guidelines dealing with women inside of men's locker rooms and decided to take advantage of the team. (Mamola 4)

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The media is known for having more than one way to conduct interviews and having different methods of recording their interviews. Ms. Sainz stated that she had a notebook and a pen with no way of recording what allegedly happened to her (Bichelman 2). In this day and age what reporter doesn't have a camera phone or at least a tape recorder? Many women would not take the chance of going into an all men's locker room, filled with at least two dozen unknown men without any security, but for some reason Sainz did.

Sainz supporters state that Ms. Sainz had the right to enter the locker room, which she did but the matter is she was wearing inappropriate attire. The way that Ms. Sainz was dressed and how she was unprepared for the interview helps many to believe that she wanted to pull a publicity stunt to gain popularity from the American society. The football team had nothing to do with what she was wearing and that is why some people are blaming Sainz for the alleged situation. (Bichelman 5)

Sainz's supporters believe that the N.F.L. is filled with male chauvinist. If the N.F.L. owners were truly male chauvinist many believe that they would not look deeply into the matter. The N.F.L. could have just written Sainz a check and banned her from ever interviewing another N.F.L. player, if the N.F.L. chauvinist theory was true. (Bichelman 1)

The first amendment gives Americans the right to freedom of press but it does not give the right to violate someone's privacy in order to get information. Sainz could have waited to have that interview with the New York Jets