COLUMN: Journalists, delight in balls jokes only when appropriate

On one of the more memorable production nights at Vox during my time as managing editor, a department editor was tasked with writing a headline for a story about women who play what are considered traditional male sports. The editor brought the page to me with the headline “Women with balls” at the top. My gut reaction: Absolutely not. But, I polled the office to see if anyone else took offense. I was the only one with a problem regarding what I thought was a sexist headline. I remember one editor’s response. “I love a good balls joke,” she said.