Fox Footy and ABC commentator Kelli Underwood says she “felt sick within the abdomen” when she heard Tom Morris’s feedback about her colleague.
Key factors:
- Kelli Underwood known as on males throughout the sport media trade to drive cultural change
- Underwood mentioned her feminine colleagues have banded collectively in current days
- Fox Sports activities sacked Tom Morris on Friday after an investigation into his leaked feedback
Morris was sacked by Fox on Friday after an investigation into the leaked recording during which he made misogynistic feedback a few Fox Sports activities reporter.
Chatting with ABC Sport forward of Friday night time’s AFL recreation between St Kilda and Collingwood mentioned the incident was one more reminder of the challenges going through girls in sports activities media.
“It is emotional for me to speak about as a result of it actually hits residence,” Underwood mentioned.
“I felt sick in my abdomen once I heard it. It’s so disappointing.
“Everybody talks the speak publicly, do not they? ‘We’re speaking about variety, we’re speaking about how necessary girls are’.
“After which to know that while you depart the room, some nonetheless stay in the dead of night ages, that hurts.”
Underwood mentioned the onus was now on males to face as much as this behaviour and lead the cost for change.
“We as girls and as leaders on this trade, we are able to scream from the rooftops and get accused of sticking up to your mates or whinging,” she mentioned.
“I’ve received to say I am pleased with my employer tonight. I am actually pleased with what they’ve performed. It makes me proud to work for them. However the place are the male voices right here?”
Underwood mentioned she spoke to the feminine Fox Sports activities reporter named within the audio recording, who’s presently on project and “surrounded by some sturdy feminine colleagues”.
“Which is nice as a result of she wants it in the meanwhile,” she mentioned.
Underwood has lengthy been a pacesetter amongst feminine commentators, and spoke of the “spirit among the many sisters” who work within the trade.
“My cellphone has been working sizzling for the final 24 hours. I assume quite a lot of Fox feminine colleagues have been checking in on one another and checking in on one another’s welfare, which is a good factor,” she mentioned.
“I do not assume any of us ever need to be the one girl within the room.
“I had two nice moments on Friday morning. I had an electronic mail from Lauren Bordin who despatched me this electronic mail so excited, saying she had simply received a full-time job within the Grandstand AFL sports activities division in Melbourne.
“After which Julia Montesano received a worldwide competitors to name on the Girls’s Basketball World Cup in September.
“You are so proud while you hear this, as a result of it is so exhausting to get a foot within the door and get that begin.”