[@anthonyfjoshua]’s problematic statements cater to a wider discussion that we should all be having

The heavyweight champion is facing backlash for his controversial comments and has been accused of being sexist after a GQ interview from last year re-surfaced.

Anthony Joshua needs to be cancelled.
I know, I know, what did we expect? I guess we just hoped that he was better than this. pic.twitter.com/FuHIbARHP9

— Ιman Amrani | ايمان (@ImaniAmrani) March 2, 2018

He also said he works hard to inspire his son and added

“He needs to look at me like I am a superhero. And that he can come to me for whatever he needs. That’s one of the reasons I am looking to improve myself. Be smarter, so that I can help him on his path”

It’s really unfortunate that in this day and age, it’s almost unfathomable by some people that women can make their own choices and that these misogynistic people still believe that the sole existence of a woman is to get married, have children and ‘please her husband’. Anthony says he can’t be strict with his son but can with his niece who is, by the way, only a child and is already expected to become a ‘good woman’, many years before womanhood. It’s very unfortunate, to say the least.

Here’s what people had to say

“He’ll want to be a man’s man. Spread his wings. Build his character…”

So by that token should a woman not build her own character?

No?!

Character is just for men to have.

Women are cardboards.

— Kelechi (@kelechnekoff) March 3, 2018

How Anthony Joshua can look at his niece, not as a child but as someone who is going to be a "wife" is really bemusing. Girls are hardly ever allowed to be. This isn't just about him, it's about everyone who shares this shitty, reductive view of little girls.

— T. Rânkïn' (@AfroVII) March 2, 2018

Anthony Joshua letting us know his son is allowed to ‘build character’ whilst his niece must prepare to ‘be a wife’ Forget all the potential imbedded in her, forget her hopes and dreams because that’s all she must prepare for in life apparently🙄

— Makio (@TheFishTankUK) March 2, 2018

The dialogue that's occurring shouldn't be about Anthony Joshua as a person. Nobody knows him. No one can judge him. The dialogue should be about where this thinking stems from in the first place and the consequences of this thinking on boys and girls in general.

— TONI TONE (@t0nit0ne) March 2, 2018

And to be honest, as alarming his comments may seem, it’s really not an isolated matter.

Lots of people agree with him and even more perpetuate these harmful, backward social ‘norms’ and ruin little girls’ ambition, aspirations and their carefree spirits forever. All in the hopes to satisfy a ‘future’ man’s appetite.

So much time has passed since women took it to the streets to fight for their humanity and here we are, still fighting to be acknowledged as human beings and still trying to prove that we are much more than housewives to men who have the hearing of a brick wall.

Women, as an unfortunate surprise it may be to some, have personalities, have passions and hobbies that do not include making men happy and some, may not even like the men he’s so badly preparing his niece for.

Generally, we should be raising our boys and girls the same and we should stop to think before we use toxic statements like ‘man up’ that we’ve been so conditioned to use so that we don’t teach our sons that being masculine means to be devoid of all emotions.

Hopefully, Anthony takes this as a learning curve and unlearns these harmful customs from the justifiable backlash and learn to both love and raise girls and boys the same.