Here we go again…
Last month, it was a Callaway Golf ad that depicted violence against a woman for laughs. Now, we are having another conversation about an interview with Arch Manning and the reaction to an AI-generated video depicting violence against ESPN reporter Holly Rowe. After the Callaway ad, many people spoke out about the normalization of violence against women and the message it sends to young people. Those concerns are worth revisiting now. Arch Manning is a perfect example of a young man who has grown up in an environment where this kind of content can be presented as humor. He is a 20-year-old “kid,” and his comments should be viewed in that context—but so should the responsibility of the adults around him. What about the journalists and other adults in the room who were laughing? Young people learn what society considers acceptable by watching the adults around them. When violence against women is repeatedly packaged as entertainment, a joke, or something to laugh about, we should not be surprised when young men absorb that message. The question is not simply what Arch Manning said. It is what we, as a society, are teaching young men when we continue to laugh.
We must do better.
Tips for Talking to Your Children About Why This Is Harmful
- Ask what they see before telling them what to think.
Start with questions like, “What did you notice about this video?” or “What do you think is supposed to be funny?” This gives children an opportunity to process what they saw and opens the door for a real conversation. - Make it clear that violence is never a punchline.
Explain that hitting, threatening, or humiliating someone isn’t funny simply because it is presented as a joke or edited into a video. Humor doesn’t erase the harm behind the behavior. - Talk about what they see online and in advertising.
Children are constantly exposed to messages about relationships, gender, and acceptable behavior. Help them understand that something being popular, shared, or presented by adults doesn’t automatically make it appropriate or harmless. - Talk about the difference between intent and impact.
Someone may say, “It was just a joke,” without intending to hurt anyone. But something can still be harmful even when it was meant as humor. Encourage your children to think about how the person being targeted—or someone who has experienced violence—might feel seeing it. - Teach them that speaking up matters.
Tell your children they don’t have to laugh just because everyone else is laughing. They can say, “That’s not funny,” walk away, or speak up when they see someone being demeaned or threatened. Most importantly, remind them that respect is not weakness, and empathy is not something to be embarrassed about.
Thanks for reading,
