Pro Athletes Debate the Meaning of ‘Locker Room Talk’

“I’ve been in locker rooms my entire adult life and uh, that’s not locker room talk.”

Adam K. Raymond

Oct 10, 2016

For the first time in American history, the way men speak to each other when they’re wearing nothing but towels is central to the election of our next president.

Donald Trump says “locker room talk” includes the kind of language he was caught using on hot mic in 2005, which included him describing sexual assault, according to top surrogate Rudy Giuliani. At Sunday’s presidential debate, Trump continued to downplay his comments as “locker room talk.” That characterization was met with resistance by men who better know what constitutes true “locker room talk”—current and former pro athletes. Players in the NFL, NBA and MLB, in addition to one wrestler turned MMA fighter, chimed in with their thoughts on what is and is not said in locker rooms.

"Grab them by the pussy" isn't talk from any locker room I've ever been in. It's a Ted Bundy quote. #debate2016

— player/coach (@CMPunk) October 10, 2016

Please stop saying "locker room talk"

— Jacob Tamme (@JacobTamme) October 10, 2016

As an athlete, I've been in locker rooms my entire adult life and uh, that's not locker room talk.

— Sean Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) October 10, 2016

I was a 5 sport athlete in high school.
5 years of college football.
12 years in the NFL.
Guys don't talk like that in locker rooms. #Trump

— Sage Rosenfels (@SageRosenfels18) October 8, 2016