A reader response reflecting on societal attitudes toward the public humiliation of women highlights ongoing concerns about disrespect and mockery, despite progress over recent decades. Elaine Mintzer of Merrimack, New Hampshire, drew attention to the persistence of such behavior, noting that in the 1980s and ’90s, it was often considered acceptable for women to be subjected to public derision, especially in workplaces. She observed that this pattern of vulgar mocking was a common male reaction to female agency during that period.

Mintzer referenced the testimony of Christine Blasey Ford during Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings, specifically Ford’s remark about how the memory of laughter at her alleged humiliation remained “indelible in the hippocampus.” Mintzer expressed hope that those who challenged such behavior in the past would have paved the way for future generations of women to avoid similar experiences. While acknowledging some progress, she cautioned that the impulse to take pleasure in women’s humiliation has not been entirely eradicated.

She referenced a recent incident involving University of Texas quarterback Arch Manning, who laughed at an artificial intelligence–generated video depicting his coach striking ESPN reporter Holly Rowe. Mintzer argued that the fact this incident received attention demonstrates a shift from previous norms in which such conduct might have gone unchallenged.

Mintzer concluded that it remains essential to call out blatant disrespect toward women to prevent such behavior from becoming normalized again. The letter underscores ongoing cultural challenges related to gender respect and public discourse.