The NRL has announced that its referees will no longer be wearing pink this season. The reason? Well, it is believed that pink jerseys made it harder for officials to be taken seriously. As such, the TPA brains trust have weighed in to the debate…
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Alasdair McClintock: What do we make of the NRL changing the referees’ uniform because pink doesn’t “command respect”? I feel like this issue is screaming for our voice!
Ben Shine: Deck chairs on the Titanic. It’s not the colour of the shirt guys, it’s what’s in the shirt (the human).
Dave Edwards: What commands “respect?” Do referees need to look like CEOs in dark, slim-fit $3,000 Hugo Boss suits?
BS: According to a Roy Morgan poll, the most highly regarded / respected progressions are:
AM: That logic seems sound to me. Although, do people respect sexy nurses or just ‘nurses’? I acknowledge that fishnet stockings can command respect, but usually they have to be accompanied by intimidating boots and/or a cat o’ nine tails.
DE: Let’s not fix the root of the problem (i.e. that refs are bad), let’s just make them wear a different colour jersey. Classic RL bandaid solution; so on-brand.
BS: Further, why do refs need respect from other people? Basing your confidence around external validation is a recipe for disaster. Before asking for the respect of others, they first need to respect themselves.
DE: The NRL’s head of HR needs to sit down all players and officials and outline the need for mutual respect. “If this organisation is going to succeed, we all need to be on the same page” etc etc.
AM: I thought deep self-hatred was a prerequisite to becoming a referee? They couldn’t play the game, so they decided they must control it. Sort of like misogynists who couldn’t get girls in high school. Ultimately they just hate themselves.
Sam Perry: And what about the inference that particular colours command different levels of respect? What is a more respectful colour? Do I guess that it’s one that fits the masculine construct? We probably need a colour power rankings to get to the root of this.