Am I being overly sensitive?

[sassyjumper]

I found the lede in this Reuters article, about a series of sexual assaults on men, to be truly offensive.

Comments

[menolly_au]

Yep, I agree with you - it's not funny just because it's happening to men.

Also, and OT, I learnt a new word - lede! Never seen it spelt that way before.

[sassyjumper]

it's not funny just because it's happening to men

Exactly!

lede! Never seen it spelt that way before

Oh, yeah :) At least that's how we spell it for the publications I've worked for - "lead" is lede, and "head" (as in headline) is "hed." I think it's just so the meaning is clear to writers/editors.

[rslhilson]

I don't think you're being overly sensitive at all. That opening is just...wrong. On so many levels. For a news article on such a serious issue, how did this get past the editors' eyes? (Or maybe I really shouldn't be surprised...)

[sassyjumper]

Or maybe I really shouldn't be surprised

I guess I shouldn't be. Just sad that the writer and editor would think this is A-OK : /

[srsly_yes]

That's horribly insensitive. I did some research a while back about male sexual assault. The number of reported cases were believed to be lower than actual crimes because victims were too embarrassed to come forward. A lede (first time use for me too!) like this adds to the problem.

Which reminds me of my ex-husband's periodontist. Six months after my ex's treatments, the guy made the news. He was accused by several women of having oral sex with them while they were under. He went to prison, lost his license, and his wife divorced him. No one joked about it then.

[sassyjumper]

He was accused by several women of having oral sex with them while they were under. He went to prison, lost his license, and his wife divorced him. No one joked about it then

What that guy did is sickening. And I can't imagine a female journalist writing about that case with a lede like, "We girls sure do like oral sex. But only when we're conscious, am I right ladies?" *Sigh*

[yarroway]

You are definitely not being too insensitive. That's the kind of attitude that makes it so hard for abused men to come forward.

[sassyjumper]

That's the kind of attitude that makes it so hard for abused men to come forward.

Exactly.