I don't think you should read too much in the exact wording of her apology. - Edit 1
Before modification by Legolas at 08/09/2010 11:25:18 PM
I guess it's just that, in my experience, faggot has a universal meaning in English speaking cultures. There are other associated meanings, but the one that transcends national boundaries is an insult based on perceived sexuality. As an international athlete, she would be aware of the more dominant meaning.
Yes, but we all know that she didn't mean to imply the Springboks were gay. I wouldn't go as far as Rebekah and claim she wasn't aware of the homosexual associations that word carries, that seems unlikely to me too (though who knows). But you know, simply from the context of the statement, it seems obvious that she was calling the Springboks, you know, wusses, weaklings, mocking their failure to beat the Wallabies. And that part is indeed different from the US, where I find it hard to imagine people in macho sports - basketball, say - using the term "faggot" to someone they have no reason to think is gay. But the context of her statements if nothing else should make clear to you that evidently she uses the word in a different way.
I don't think we'll ever know if she needs it or not. She's the only one who could know that. As I said to Rebekah, the fact that she's calling it an out of character act tells me she should examine why she decided to say/do that. If it were an in character act, something she says all the time with her friends or family, she should explain it that way, rather than trying to distance herself from it.
I wouldn't analyze the wording of her apology overmuch. She got into an unexpected shitstorm, had a sponsor drop her, so panicked and most likely had her manager or someone draft an apology. And being active in politics as you are, I imagine you'll agree with me that the most important part of a public apology is making clear as fast as possible that you're entirely taking back what you said. Going with a "yes, I said it, but that word has a different meaning where I'm from" defense risks making people think that you don't mean the apology.