Serena Williams’ Husband Wants To Know Why The Herald Sun’s Editor Is A Male Champion Of Change
"Is this supposed to be satire, too?"
Husband of tennis superstar Serena Williams, Alexis Ohanian Sr, has called that Mark Knight cartoon racist and misogynistic and has wondered why the Herald Sun’s editor signed onto the Male Champions of Change program.
Here’s the tweet:
I am truly perplexed to learn this editor of the Australian newspaper behind the blatantly racist & misogynistic cartoon of my wife is a “Male Champion of Change” ? Is this supposed to be satire, too? @malechampions @LizBroderick https://t.co/QAq25HAhTo https://t.co/jOuYojCE3P
— Alexis Ohanian Sr. ? (@alexisohanian) September 13, 2018
Ohanian Sr’s criticism zeroes in on Herald Sun editor Damon Johnston, rather than cartoonist Knight.
Knight’s widely panned cartoon was published on Tuesday, and the Herald Sun defended Knight with a front page the next day that said: “Welcome To PC World”.
Johnston became a Male Champion of Change in 2015, and was a founding member of the organisation’s Victorian group.
The Male Champions of Change program enlists influential Australian leaders and tasks them with supporting gender equality. The program includes 137 leaders from government, education, the corporate sector and the media.
“Male Champions of Change use their individual and collective leadership to elevate gender equality as an issue of national and international social and economic importance,’ the Male Champions of Change website reads. “We listen, learn and lead with action to achieve significant and sustainable change.”
Tomorrow's @theheraldsun front page tonight #auspol #springst pic.twitter.com/2nuLbKppku
— damon johnston (@damonheraldsun) September 11, 2018
Ohanian Sr cofounded Reddit, and heads up the tech investor Initialized Capital. Since Williams’ controversial US Open final, he has used his Twitter account to rally support for her, sharing videos, fan drawings, and commentary in her defence.
She fought for her life, for our child, for recognition, for equal pay, for women’s rights. She never gives up.
I had this made for @serenawilliams last night after her match with some home videos from 1 year ago this week. Help me make sure she sees it!#iloveyouserena pic.twitter.com/OV6Zo1DBxZ
— Alexis Ohanian Sr. ? (@alexisohanian) September 7, 2018
He tagged Australia sex discrimination expert — and former sex discrimination commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission — Elizabeth Broderick in his tweet about Williams.
Broderick did not respond to the tweet.