Canada: CFWIJ condemns the online derogatory remarks towards Amrit Gill

/
0.jpg

February 16, 2021— Hockey Night Punjabi broadcaster, Amrit Gill, was targeted by vicious online trolls. Amrit posted a picture of her excitement in hosting Hockey Night Canada only to face an onslaught of derogatory remarks. The comments, most of them now deleted,  under Amrit's tweet were disrespectful and insensitive. CFWIJ condemns the malicious online attacks against the journalist. We believe in inclusivity and every woman’s right to a safe space online. 
In 2015, Amrit Gill became the first woman to host the Hockey Night Canada Punjabi edition. The journalist, who grew up in Vancouver, is a reporter and producer for the Punjabi broadcast of Sportsnet’s Hockey branch. On Saturday, Amrit shared a picture of herself on Twitter, excited for her first appearance on Hockey Night in Canada.

Following her post, Amrit received several hurtful comments about her appearance. Online trolls bombarded her with sexual advances and inappropriate comments, many of which were subsequently deleted. Amrit shared her statement regarding the insulting online attacks on Sunday, "Being a female in sports media is hard. For women of colour, there can be an even greater internal battle…"

Many of Amrit’s colleagues came to her defense. They spoke of their appreciation for Amrit, her work and dedication to the job. A colleague of Amrit and fellow host for Hockey Night Punjabi, Randip Janda, shared on Twitter, "Read the replies to this tweet. They are disgusting and no one deserves to go through this and be talked to in this way. Don’t be like these guys. Proud to be @AmritG’s colleague and will not stand for any of this."

The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands in solidarity with Amrit Gill amidst the online hate and hostility. We condemn cyberbullying and hope to see online spaces that are safe and inclusive for all women journalists.