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The San Jose Mercury News made a big mistake. Huge, in fact. Following Simone Manuel’s historic win at the Olympics last night (she is the first African American woman to win an individual Olympic swimming gold after tying in the women’s 100m freestyle), someone at Mercury News thought it would be a good idea to run this headline:
"Michael Phelps wins gold and so does some black chick." Way to go, Merc! pic.twitter.com/pqWMCnDvGb
— Sean Keane (@seankeane) August 12, 2016
Ummm … are you kidding me?! Somehow, Mercury News completely omitted Manuel’s entire name (instead referring only to her race) and managed to fit in Michael Phelps’s full name. We smell a double standard, ladies and gentleman. Even Mercury News reporter, Tim Kawakami, was disgusted by his own publication’s offensive post:
Sorry to my tremendous co-workers, but I've never been as upset at a headline in my own publication as I was with that one.
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) August 12, 2016
We are so on the same page. Although Mercury News has since issued an apology for the headline, calling it “insensitive,” we’re appalled it was even allowed to run in the first place. Twitter has yet to forgive the news outlet, as well, and we’ve compiled some of the most critical (and accurate!) tweets. What’s most unfortunate is that this controversy is ultimately tarnishing what should be a proud and celebratory moment for both Manuel and the United States. Check out some of the disapproving tweets below.
@mercnews Your apology is cheap & insincere. You need to help us understand why NO ONE on staff objected this BS. #SimoneManuel
— DLee.Style (@DL_StyleMaven) August 12, 2016
So yeah, @mercnews, let me, a journalist, fix that for you: "Manuel Wins Historic Swimming Gold."
Boom. There. You're welcome.
— Txnewsprincess (@txnewsprincess) August 12, 2016
https://twitter.com/stokenewington/status/763973783191367683
Is this real life? So disappointing! Way to go @mercnews 😡 her name is @simone_manuel tf? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/oCfqyGOFHp
— △⃒⃘ 𝕰𝖛𝖆 𝕷𝖆 𝕸𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖊 △⃒⃘ (@EvaLaMorte) August 12, 2016
If writing sexist & racist headlines was an Olympic sport, @mercnews would win gold, too. https://t.co/JRRJNOBvTX
— Heidi Wilson (@thatheidiwilson) August 12, 2016
https://twitter.com/Farkworthy/status/764192756063309824
