Sidelined

Starred review from December 21, 2020
Journalist DiCaro debuts with a sweeping takedown of misogyny in America’s sports media and professional leagues. She describes the censure (from her employers) and online harassment (from sports fans) she receives when reporting on the sexual misconduct of athletes, and critiques her employers, including CBS Radio, for failing to hire diverse staffers and protect female employees from abuse. Though her primary focus is on media, DiCaro also looks at the unequal treatment of female pro athletes, and the ways in which organizations such as the Houston Astros normalize violence against women by signing players who have been suspended for domestic abuse and then “putting a moratorium” on how long journalists can report on the matter. DiCaro’s investigative journalism chops shine through in her insightful interviews, and she crafts engrossing narratives out of historical events like the battle to get female reporters access to locker rooms after games. Ultimately, DiCaro believes that if media outlets, teams, and fans want to address the deeply entrenched culture of inequality in the way women are treated in sports, they need to “grow the fuck up.” This bracing call to arms is a step in that direction.

January 15, 2021
A sports journalist for Deadspin reflects on the perils of being female in a toxically male-dominated field. DiCaro, who segued from a career as an attorney into public relations and then, at age 40, into a position in sports talk radio, focuses primarily on the many difficulties of working at the radio station. After she lost her job during the pandemic, she realized that she was "far from the only woman who had run smack into a brick wall, unable to rise above a part-time, after-hours show." Drawing on her own experience, as well as those of other women in sports media, she discusses in appalling detail the corrosive effect of the ongoing personal criticism of her voice and appearance by predominantly male callers to the show and, even more distressingly, the multiple attacks by Twitter trolls, including "death threats, rape threats, attempts to get me fired from my job." DiCaro notes that as a woman sports reporter, it's far easier to get a job reporting objective facts from the sidelines than one where the journalist is allowed to express her opinion. The author insightfully analyzes the hidden biases involved in sports reporting, most notably that her co-hosts seemed all too willing to dismiss claims of sexual or domestic violence against players, in part because the shows depend on sponsorship by local teams. DiCaro aims much of her anger at Barstool Sports, the online media company that "definitely engages in advanced-level trolling." Some may assume the author is just settling scores, but Barstool has a long reputation of harassment. The first chapter, about women sports journalist who came before, the "smashers of glass ceilings," condenses material from other sources, and DiCaro occasionally veers off topic. Still, she provides enough solid evidence to convince readers that sports media remains a bastion of male privilege. An eye-opening and dispiriting account of biased behavior.

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Starred review from March 1, 2021

Women in sports media encounter unique challenges, whether it is facing online harassment from fans or the athletes they cover, or having to fight for equal access and pay. Sports journalist DiCaro writes about the barriers women face and incorporates her own experiences throughout. DiCaro has covered sports for a decade, including in her current role as an editor at Deadspin. She begins by recounting the history of women receiving access to locker rooms and covering athletes. The author intertwines her own experiences working in a male-dominated field and dealing with misogynistic coworkers, with comprehensive research and interviews that shed insight on how other women in sports media, including Mina Kimes, Kristen Ledlow, and Marisa Ingemi, cope with mistreatment and harassment. While readers may know of the difficulties that women face, both online and off, it is incredibly powerful to hear women share their own stories, and these sections will stay with readers long after they finish the book. VERDICT There's no other current book that captures the challenges women face in sports media, and DiCaro does this masterfully. Bringing a feminist lens to the world of sports, this book sets itself apart with its reporting and relevancy.--Pamela Calfo, Plum Borough Community Lib., PA

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