Yes, it is fairly obvious she was calling into question their masculinity, their ability to play, etc... but that's the same surface meaning used by athletes here. "I wasn't calling him queer, just a bitch" isn't all that rare.

Really, I don't think there's any further to take that line of reasoning. She might have meant it to mean weak, or she might have meant it to mean queer. We don't know.




There are two general theories on apologies: 1. I said it and I'm sorry, I'll never say it again, it was wrong; and 2. I said it, but I didn't mean it the way it came out.

Number 1 is quicker, and is usually the route taken by most public officials, but it traps you. You have to abjectly apologize, and if you falter ever again, it brings into question your character and suddenly you have a pattern of bad behavior.

Number 2 takes more time, requires more guts, and generally produces a stronger situation. Coming out to say "Yes, I did it, here is why, here is the lesson I've learned, and here is how I will modify my behavior" takes maturity and it takes experience. Most public figures don't get this until later.

She tried to back off it hard, but that falls apart when people try to defend her based on her culture. (See my discussion with Rebekah). A more nuanced apology would have prevented that and allowed her to let other people fill in the cultural support.

Looking at it from a PR angle, she blundered all over the place.