LA Times columnist apologizes for controversial LSU column

LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey criticized a Los Angeles Times column written by Ben Bolch for sexist language. The criticism resonated with the Times, who quietly edited the piece on Saturday night.

While the headline (“UCLA-LSU is America’s sweethearts vs. its basketball villains”) remained, the Times removed specific phrases Mulkey objected to, such as “dirty debutantes” and the “Louisiana hot sauce” vs. “milk and cookies” comparison.

Taking responsibility for the column, the Times admitted it fell short of editorial expectations and apologized to both the LSU basketball program and its readers.

And that saw Bolch offer a “long overdue apology” of his own:

“It has taken me two days to write this apology because I wanted to be as thoughtful as possible in my response to the situation I have created. These are words I have not been asked to write by anyone at my paper, but they need to be expressed so that I can own up to my mistake.

“Words matter. As a journalist, no one should know this more than me. Yet, I have failed miserably in my choice of words. In my column previewing the LSU-UCLA women’s basketball game, I tried to be clever in my phrasing about one team’s attitude, using alliteration while not understanding the deeply offensive connotations or associations. I also used metaphors that were not appropriate. Our society has had to deal with so many layers of misogyny, racism, and negativity that I can now see why the words I used were wrong. It was not my intent to be hurtful, but I now understand that I terribly missed the mark.

“I sincerely apologize to the LSU and UCLA basketball teams and to our readers. UCLA, a school I have covered for nearly a decade, champions diversity and is known as a leader in inclusivity. However, I have not upheld that standard in what I wrote, and I will do much better. I am deeply sorry.”

A LONG OVERDUE APOLOGY: pic.twitter.com/lgZkCt21Ft

— Ben Bolch (@latbbolch) April 1, 2024

Ultiamelty, Bolch takes full responsibility for his insensitive word choice in the apology. He recognizes the gravity of his error and the importance of using language carefully, particularly for a journalist. The sincerity of his apology extends to the affected teams and readers, reflecting a hope to regain trust and leverage his platform for positive influence moving forward.

And while updating the column and Bolch offering an apology was the right move, the truth is the harm has already been inflicted. LSU players, including star forward Angel Reese and guard Hailey van Lith, noticed the opinion piece, with the latter highlighting the racial undertones of the criticism.

The Tigers’ response, particularly from Mulkeys, remains to be seen. Regardless of Monday night’s Elite Eight outcome against Iowa, the controversy surrounding the removed “sexist” language and the resulting apology will likely be a topic of discussion.

[Ben Bolch on Twitter/X]