[Niamh.]

Mixed martial arts isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but Streep’s jibe at the Golden Globes was misguided. MMA is plenty diverse: it’s full of foreigners and outsiders


In her heartfelt speech at the Golden Globes on Sunday night, Meryl Streep found time to mention mixed martial arts, also known as MMA. Streep took aim at Donald Trump and defended the diversity that has made Hollywood, and America, great. “Hollywood is crawling with outsiders and foreigners, and if we kick them all out, you’ll have nothing to watch but football and mixed martial arts – which are not the arts,” she said.


It’s easy to see why Streep would make such an assertion: Trump has attached himself closely to MMA down the years, while the UFC president, Dana White, spoke in support of the president elect at last year’s Republican convention (and lashed out at Streep on Monday). It’s no surprise that some view MMA as a sport full of small-minded white men who don’t know their privilege – kind of like politics.

But contrary to Streep’s claim, MMA is a pretty diverse place – it’s full of the foreigners and outsiders she lauded in her speech. The UFC currently has its first openly gay female champion, the Brazilian Amanda Nunes. Only last week, Nunes outclassed arguably the biggest name the sport has ever had, Ronda Rousey. (And with Rousey’s loss MMA’s biggest current star is Irishman Conor McGregor, another foreigner). Imagine that: a sport watched predominantly by men, having a female athlete as one of its two biggest stars, headlining shows. The UFC has recently added yet another women’s division to its ranks, becoming even more inclusive, and evidencing the appetite of female viewers. Out of 10 competing divisions, the UFC has three black champions.

MMA has a global presence, too. With a multitude of organisations, the sport is growing across Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe and Australia – which suggests the demographics of its audience is as diverse as its athletes. But this isn’t just a male-dominated sport. The rapid growth of women’s MMA and the meteoric rise of Rousey hold a light up to the growing female fanbase. That’s important too: research in the UK showed that 1.73 million fewer women participate in sport compared to men. The impact of a thriving women’s MMA scene executed by famous female stars can only be a positive tool to drive engagement.

Compare this to Hollywood’s diversity issues. The 2016 Oscars was the stage, and all-white nominations were the story – for a second consecutive year. The awards were attacked for their lack of diversity, a problem that bleeds into the core of its membership. A 2012 LA Times study found that 94% of Oscar voters were white, more than three quarters were male, and the median age was 62. In her speech at the Golden Globes ceremony, Streep said: “When the powerful abuse their position to bully others, we all lose.” To say that the Oscars is rife with bullying would be wrong, but somewhere in the hierarchy is an abuse of power and privilege.

Of course, MMA has room for improvement. Although many of the fighters come from minority backgrounds, those at the top are mostly white men – not a great state of affairs, but certainly no worse than Hollywood.


The fact that Streep doesn’t consider MMA as an art form isn’t the issue here – even though many would argue this point. To the casual viewer, the amalgamation of martial arts in a metal cage with few rules is barbaric and brutal, but the sport has worked hard to shake off this reputation. Thanks to stringent rule changes, MMA is now legal everywhere in the US, including New York. And what the arm’s-length audience do not see beneath the facade is the wider impact that the sport has to offer. Streep’s finger is probably not on the pulse of sports science, fitness, nutrition or the outreach community work that MMA attracts. Her motivation to mention the sport was probably not from her deep-rooted dislike of MMA, but more as a conduit leading to her overarching target – Trump.

The “outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment” award Streep accepted at the Golden Globes is named after Cecil B DeMille – a white man. In the last 20 years, its recipients have included only four females and two black winners – hardly a poster for diversity. As Streep stood in the lavishly decorated room packed full of luxuries, wealth and predominantly white industry leaders, it was hard not to see the irony – hypocrisy? – of her misguided jibe.

For the most part, Streep’s speech was accurate, and it’s a shame that for many the real message was ignored, choosing to focus on a throwaway comment made in the course of a passionate tirade. Few probably care whether she regards MMA as an art form, but many felt the weight of her marginalising the hardworking men and women that call MMA their profession.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/bl...-globes-speech

[MB.]

Nice way to detract from the actual message of the speech

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by MB.

Nice way to detract from the actual message of the speech

No one is trying to detract anything from the message of her speech. I hate Trump and I agree with her. I just thought it was really petty and ignorant of her to have a dig at a sport she clearly knows **** all about at the end of it

[Jordan.]

Is she serious thinking mixed martial arts isn't diverse and accepting of other cultures, it literally exists because of that.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Jordan.

She was bashing Trump so let's gloss over any ignorant comments she made in the process

Well yeah basically. And yes I am a fan of Meryl and I dislike Trump with a passion but I'm also a fan of MMA and I think that comment was out of order and totally ignorant because if she knew anything at all about MMA she would know it's far more diverse than Hollywood is

[Black Dagger]

Fake sport.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Black Dagger

Fake sport.

Clearly you know nothing about it either

[Black Dagger]

Lmao I'm winding you up. Don't you roll your eyes at me Miss Niamh!!!

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Black Dagger

Lmao I'm winding you up. Don't you roll your eyes at me Miss Niamh!!!

[Tom4784]

The writer missed the point.

It's not about MMA not being diverse but artistic pursuits suffering if Trump's allowed to run rampant with his bigotry. I'm guessing she just wanted to name a second sport and couldn't think of anything else rather than it being a case of her commenting on the state of MMA.

[LeatherTrumpet]

ground and pound him neem

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

The writer missed the point.

It's not about MMA not being diverse but artistic pursuits suffering if Trump's allowed to run rampant with his bigotry. I'm guessing she just wanted to name a second sport and couldn't think of anything else rather than it being a case of her commenting on the state of MMA.

But why did she need to take a swipe at any sports to make her point? (a point I incidentally agree with btw) You can't expect fans of those sports and people involved in those sports to not be offended by it

[Tom4784]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

But why did she need to take a swipe at any sports to make her point? (a point I incidentally agree with btw) You can't expect fans of those sports and people involved in those sports to not be offended by it

I think it was a way to tie in with the outsider comment she made, when you look at american schools in particular there tends to be a lot of money set aside for sports programs but the arts are neglected and often unfunded in comparison. Sports is the majority, arts are a minority in that respect.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

I think it was a way to tie in with the outsider comment she made, when you look at american schools in particular there tends to be a lot of money set aside for sports programs but the arts are neglected and often unfunded in comparison. Sports is the majority, arts are a minority in that respect.

Hollywood is hardly a minority and as the article stated MMA is one of the most diverse "activities" there is. It's also a relatively new sport (although all the disciplines it involves have been around for a longtime) and I would think isn't well funded at all from a youth level.

[Shaun]

Oh look I'm Niamh and i've been triggered by someone coming for the reason that stupid Conor man is famous!!!

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Shaun

Oh look I'm Niamh and i've been triggered by someone coming for the reason that stupid Conor man is famous!!!

[LeatherTrumpet]

Originally Posted by Shaun

Oh look I'm Niamh and i've been triggered by someone coming for the reason that stupid Conor man is famous!!!

[Tom4784]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Hollywood is hardly a minority and as the article stated MMA is one of the most diverse "activities" there is. It's also a relatively new sport (although all the disciplines it involves have been around for a longtime) and I would think isn't well funded at all from a youth level.

Again, I think she was just naming two popular sports.

[Vicky.]

Originally Posted by Shaun

Oh look I'm Niamh and i've been triggered by someone coming for the reason that stupid Conor man is famous!!!

I know nothing at all about MMA, nor do I particularly care. I only came into this thread hoping for a vaguely funny comment. I was not disappointed.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

I know nothing at all about MMA, nor do I particularly care. I only came into this thread hoping for a vaguely funny comment. I was not disappointed.

You came in to see pictures of Conor Vicky, don't lie

[Marsh.]

I didn't get from what she said that it wasn't diverse. She said it wasn't art.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Marsh.

I didn't get from what she said that it wasn't diverse. She said it wasn't art.

She said that Hollywood is full of immigrants and if you kick them all out you'll only be left with football and MMA to watch, implying that there's no foreigners in these sports, it was pretty clear tbf

[MTVN]

Too right, the NFL is also hugely diverse and I'm sure that far more minorities and people from deprived backgrounds have made it there than in Hollywood (proportionately anyway)

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by MTVN

Too right, the NFL is also hugely diverse and I'm sure that far more minorities and people from deprived backgrounds have made it there than in Hollywood (proportionately anyway)

I don't know much aboutthe NFL tbh which is why I didnt comment on that

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

She said that Hollywood is full of immigrants and if you kick them all out you'll only be left with football and MMA to watch, implying that there's no foreigners in these sports, it was pretty clear tbf

Sounds like unfortunate wording.

Has she responded to the backlash?