Lyrics-ing or sexual harassment?

Dem seh cock mouth kill cock and mi sure if Chris Gayle neva know the expression him surely know it now! The big excitement wid him and the Australian reporter Mel McLaughlin has caused big furore all over the world with people a bat against him and a try stump him from all angles. Some seemingly overt and unwarranted while others raising genuine concern and a worthwhile debate.

Gayle, playing for the Melbourne Renegades made 41 off 15 balls against the Hobarts! He was the real big man until him he was interviewed by Mel (Monday, January 4, 2015) and told her he liked her eyes and also "Don't blush baby". He also suggested that they could have drink after the game.

Many persons feel that he crossed the line and was out of order and unprofessional as he chose the wrong place and time to flirt with, or court, the interviewer. Some people a seh nutten no wrong wid a man a look or "lyrics" a woman but it must be analysed in the proper context. Chris Gayle is not just an ordinary man, he is a brand ambassador for Jamaica, a legendary cricketer and at the time of the "happenings" he was on his job! On live TV where millions were watching. If the "lyrics-ing" was done in a relaxed and friendly environment off the job then we would be having a different discussion.

unequivocally inappropriate

The ants nest weh him go stir up pon himself has given many the greenlight fi pitch pon him and a talk di tings dem! One man all a seh dem fi band him worldwide because him say a him regular habit! Me believe seh the punishment must fit the crime. He has been fined and he has apologised and so to call for a worldwide ban is an overkill! Some even a seh the apology never sincere and he came off arrogant. His behavior was unequivocally inappropriate and unprofessional. It must be understood that whether in Jamaica or Australia there are women who don't take kindly to certain remarks and gestures because what is joke to you is death to me!

It doesn't matter how much money yuh want have or how famous you want to be not every female ago sell out dem birthright just so a "money-man" can do and say as him please. Sometimes is not what you say is how yuh say it. Time and place is of paramount importance and as a seasoned cricketer and a big man Chris should've exercised better judgment.

Regardless of which side of the debate people stand, one thing is clear - the incident has put sexual harassment right back in the limelight. Was Gayle guilty of sexually harassing the reporter ? What is sexual harassment? Was he just being a man, attracted to a woman, and a drop some "lyrics"? Is there a thin line between flirting, pursuing and sexual harassment?

negative situation

Many woman have been subjected to rude and obscene comments and sometimes a violation of personal space as some crebbeh crebbeh bwoy feel like it's their inherent right fi "run in" pon we body! I hope that out of this negative situation some positive dialogue as to how men should approach and treat women, occurs. I don't think Chris Gayle meant any harm to the reporter lady cause to how him did a skin him teeth it obvious him think him cute and him did a feel himself cause him just mash up the pitch. However there has to be a line of demarcation that ought not to be crossed. Stick to the script, answer the questions and keep it moving! When him buck her one on one ... off work ... him free fi throw out him "line"!

Culture is no excuse for inappropriate and unprofessional behavior and if that is being highlighted as part of our Jamaican culture we need to do some introspection and clean it up. Jamaica is not the world and what may be tolerated here may not go over well in other parts of the world. So we haffi careful. Especially when it comes to our livelihood. Human beings all are we and we do fall short and make mistakes and bad decisions but that shouldn't be the hallmark or habits by which we are known.