The Mainstream Media Did Not Ignore Olympic Medal Winner Kim Rhode
The Claim
The mainstream media ignored a six-time Olympic medal winner because of her support for the Second Amendment.
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Emerging story
Throughout June and July, social media users have been sharing a meme that claims the mainstream media deliberately ignored six-time Olympic medal winner Kim Rhode because of her outspoken support for the Second Amendment, which protects the public’s right to bear arms. Rhode is a double trap and skeet shooter, who started competing in world championships when she was 13.
Other posts claimed that in addition to the media, sponsors also ignored her. Text accompanying photos of Rhode, however, specifically mentions and focus on the media rather than the sponsors.
Misbar’s Analysis
There is ample evidence that directly refutes the claim that the mainstream media ignored Rhode because of her commitment to the Second Amendment. After Rhode won her sixth consecutive Olympic medal in August 2016, numerous mainstream media outlets such as CBS Sports, the Guardian, NBC New York, the New York Times, Reuters, and USA Today ran the story. Other outlets also ran the story, with multiple noting in particular her strong belief in the Second Amendment.
Even before her sixth consecutive win, mainstream media outlets like the New York Times and others published stories about her. Even now in 2021, nearly five years after her notable achievement, mainstream media outlets like the Seattle Times continue to reference Rhode.
Renewed interest around Rhode might have arisen on social media because the world is in the throes of the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games.
The other slice of the claim that says sponsors ignored Rhode is only partially true. Big-name sponsors did not back Rhode with the same enthusiasm as they did other athletes, but Rhode herself attributed that to shooting’s lack of popularity as a sport.
When asked by conservative media outlet the Daily Signal whether she felt she received the same sponsorship opportunities as other outlets, Rhode said no, briefly explaining that this is common within shooting.
“As far as outside of my industry, I would say no, I don’t think we see very many sponsors,” she said. “When you look back through the history of shooters, nobody else has either. So I find that kind of interesting when you look at how long shooting has been in the Olympics and how many of the mainstream sponsors of the Olympics have actually sponsored a shooter.”
