Sports reporter Michelle Beadle made waves in July when she openly questioned fellow ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith, who made comments implying that abused women were responsible for managing their abusers' feelings and behaviors. This followed the much publicized domestic violence case involving former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, who brutally assaulted his then-fiancee Janay Palmer. When Beadle slammed Smith for his victim-blaming rhetoric, the resulting furor over Smith's statements ultimately led to Smith's week-long suspension. Now, Beadle is moving on and starts a new podcast on Grantland this month.
One unusual thing that Beadle does is engaging with critics and trolls. Recently, she responded to MTV star Christopher "Big Black" Boykin, who defended Rice and Palmer and criticized Beadle for commenting on the situation (via TMZ):
"Boykin tweeted to Beadle, 'She married him move on' ... adding, 'Had she hired Mayweather's ex attorney & stood her ground this would be news but she didn't she supported & married him.'
"Beadle fired back saying, 'Sadly, yes she did. And her reasons are probably sound in her mind. Probably used to it. Doesn't matter to me though. Criminal.'"
Beadle says though her employers at ESPN prefer not to rock the boat, she feels that she did the right thing by speaking her mind through social media (via Washington Post):
"I saw (Smith's comments) and I was like, 'wait, what?' I had such a reaction to it. I know that there are political ways you're supposed to handle things within a company, but actually I stand by the way I handled it. I wouldn't have done it differently."
Beadle took a big risk by speaking out on such a controversial issue, but her boldness is a part of what makes her so successful at what she does. Michelle Beadle stands up for what she believes in, and she speaks her mind. God speed you, Beadle.
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