One of Ireland's greatest ever athletes Katie Taylor sat down with Sinead Desmond of TV3's Ireland AM this morning in a school in Finglas for an interview on Rio and everything else going on in the world of the Bray boxer. It was a cordial chat ideal for mid-morning television but there was one clanger that deserves to be singled-out. Taylor was asked about her designs on motherhood.
The video is not embeddable but the transcript is below and you can watch it here
TV3: We always talk about the sacrifices you make to achieve what you want achieve - and you have made vast sacrifices in your life - because you are so single-minded. I was thinking this morning as I was driving up to school 'would Katie Taylor want to be your mum'? Because I was thinking 'how great to have Katie Taylor be your mum' because no one would mess with you ever.
KT: I have two dogs at the moment. I think I'm bad off with the two dogs rather than kids. My lovely dogs
TV3: Being mammy Katie Taylor - is that something that you've thought about at the moment or is that something way down the road?
KT: I don't know to be honest. I have 5 nephews and 2 nieces and it's great having them around but it's also great being able to hand them back after a few hours as well. I think that's best part...I'm not sure if I'm ready to be a mammy.
I can understand the fact that many viewers of Ireland AM would curious about Taylor's plans for parenthood, but it's a kind of questioning that man, especially a male athlete, would never have to answer. Ireland AM viewers may not be interested in hard pugilistic analysis but Taylor is a boxer, not a childbearer. The question tops a tumblr poll of sexist questions that only women are asked. The fact that it was International Women's Day did not help matters.
