Hot Times in the Citi
Have you read about Ms. Lorenzana? She was fired from her job at a Citibank branch here in New York for being “too hot.”
Like Ms. Lorenzana, I worked in a testosterone-rich environment while being 5-foot-5 and 125 pounds. However, I never had her problems.
As a sports reporter in New York City, I spent nearly every evening of four full years in and out of professional baseball, basketball, football, and hockey locker rooms. I adopted a few strategies to prove that I was there for quotes not kicks. I always stood near a column or piling so my view of everything would be at least half obstructed. I never stood anywhere near a shower. But most of all, I learned to keep my eyes fixed, steadfastly, on my pen, pad, or cell phone. I never let my eyes wander around the room. The most innocent glance – the kind of thing you do reflexively while deep in thought about something – could have been deadly for my career.
I was never the best writer or the best reporter. But I was doing the job for the right reasons: I did *not* go to work hoping to see grown men naked.
In the vast majority of instances, I was pleasantly surprised by the way I was treated by athletes. Most gave me the benefit of the doubt and answered my questions as thoughtfully – or not, as the case may be – as they answered my male counterparts’ questions. There were a few notable exceptions, of course. One infamous pitcher ignored all of my questions and would purposely turn his back on me. A plus-sized slugger once deliberately unhitched his towel and let it drop to the floor while I was talking to him. (Fortunately, his lack of fitness preserved my innocence; he was too fat for me to see anything.)
But experiences like these were rare. Most of the time, male athletes went out of their way to be gracious. In a few cases, some apologized on behalf of their less-than-gentlemanly teammates. Overall, I was treated respectfully and appropriately.
I have some doubts about Ms. Lorenzana’s complaints. For one thing, she seems all too eager to show off her figure in the press, an impulse that, in my opinion, is likely related to her current problems.
Don’t get me wrong now, I’m not advocating for a dress code for women in the workplace. Women deserve respect no matter how they dress. But Ms. Lorenzana worked at Citibank, not Citi Field. I suspect her complaints could have found receptive ears somewhere in the human resources chain. I have to wonder why they didn’t. Harassment? Maybe. Maybe not. Men’s professional sports is still very much a macho man’s world. Just ask Erin Andrews, whose professional reputation was questioned when she appeared in skimpy costumes on “Dancing With the Stars.”
I will say this -- I’m glad I don’t have to worry about it anymore.
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Comments :
May '10
Re: Hot Times in the Citi
She does look as though she is either working the refs for the lawsuit or hoping to be discovered for her own reality show.
Ursula, please don't say the Curt Schilling was a bad guy in the locker room.... he was responsible for my all-time favorite baseball quote, when he was being interviewed in Sept. 2004 about a classless move made by an opposing player. His teammate said it had been a bush-league deed, to which Schilling responded- "No, that was Kerry-league."
Re: Hot Times in the Citi
Ahhh, no. But close! Schilling and the lout in question both had success in a certain Northeast baseball-mad town ... No more hints :)
May '10
Re: Hot Times in the Citi
Ah. OK. No love lost there, the guy was a stiff when he played for Minnesota.
May '10
Re: Hot Times in the Citi
But don't tell Russ Roberts.
Re: Hot Times in the Citi
No turtlenecks? Sorry, Citi, you lost me.