Does sexism bear any comparison with racism? Are they both equally bad or is judging a person based on the colour of his or her skin far worse than judging a person based on his or her gender?

I ask in the light of what has happened yesterday to Andy Gray, the Sky TV football pundit: he lost his job because he had made a number of ill-judged comments about women. His comment was that there was no way a woman could understand the off-side rule in football. For that he was reprimanded and suspended from commenting on one game. However, another incident was brought to light via YouTube – where he had suggested to a female colleague that she tuck a microphone into the top his trousers. It was this second incident (though actually occurring before the sexist comment) that got him sacked.

But back to my question: had he said that black people, or Pakistani people, could not understand the off-side rule would he not have been sacked immediately without the need for another incident to push him over the edge? The answer to that is probably ‘yes’; which suggests that racism is seen as a far worse offence than sexism.

For a Christian perspective to this tale one would draw on the teaching that every person has been created in the image of God. Male or female, of whatever race, nation, language, or religion – we all bear the imprint of God’s image in our personhood. To claim that either a woman, or a black person, or a disabled person cannot understand something just because they are female, black, or disabled is a serious attack on this belief.

So to answer my own question: sexism is as bad as racism. What’s your view?