People are annoyed and confused by Brendan O’Connor’s latest Indo column

Brendan O’Connor is a bit of an eejit at the best of times but his latest Indo column has shown him to be an out and out gobshite.

In the column, entitled “Me and the junior prostitutes' convention,” Bren shites on about walking through town on the eve of Rihanna’s Three Arena concert. The crux of the piece seems to be that young Irish girls heading to the concert looked like “sex workers” and that the young girls “emulating Rihanna” would be better off “going for a run or playing a game of football or something.” Brendan goes on to further suggest that girls were infected with a detrimental sense of competitiveness and that boys were delighted that they had foolishly behaved in a such a manner.

“I realised that there was a competitiveness to the slutty dressing. It was a peer pressure thing. They were all trying to outdo each other by being more Ri-Ri than the next one. And I saw all the boys too, delighted boys, who possibly wouldn't be able to believe, if indeed they thought about it, that this was the gift feminism had bequeathed them. These young ones had the freedom to parade their booties down the road. It was female empowerment.”

Naturally, Twitter is outraged that a) The Indo published such tripe and b) Brendan can be so blatantly sexist and inappropriate.

Brendan O'Connor... man... I know we have freedom of speech and all but jeez, this is what you choose to use it for? https://t.co/AQLO8RP6G6

— Michael C (@michaelcc33) June 28, 2016

Regarding this, by Brendan O'Connor...https://t.co/BzIsvGnt9t pic.twitter.com/oSQPDsewgt — Jase (@jaseomcn) June 27, 2016

.@Independent_ie How can you think of publishing such a disturbing & inappropriate article? https://t.co/Piy84zA2aV #Ireland

— LaobhaoiseNiEanachan (@LaobhaoiseNihE) June 27, 2016

Not one to troll opinions, but this is an assault on the senses https://t.co/Xnok4dR1zq — Kate Demolder (@katedemolder) June 27, 2016

TL:DNR version - 12 year old girls, corrupted by #feminism, corrupting AND delighting innocent young boys. What. https://t.co/fUrX0st8OO

— Ciara (@CiaraMPSI) June 27, 2016

this is an absolute shocker @Independent_ie - https://t.co/GcK3RPnaBn - who approved that going up? — DJ Deece (@DeeceyDarce) June 27, 2016

is this the worst opinion piece of the year so far?https://t.co/oKupcyr2xD

— seamus.pdf (@seamuslouisryan) June 27, 2016

Are The Independent & The Irish Times in a competition for the most garbage opinion columns, or what? https://t.co/9XKB01oJ5i — Andy Stardust (@ImACultHero) June 27, 2016

Gross ignorance & slut-shaming from the Irish Piers Morgan, stop staring at girls' arses you sexist knob https://t.co/6uOL00CbjI

— Adam (@adam_loler) June 27, 2016

What. The. Actual. Fuck? https://t.co/AeeeMO6fR9 — Aoife Martin (@aoifemrtn) June 27, 2016

@ brendan o'connor where do you get off talking about women like this? what gives you the right? pic.twitter.com/xltPNZa8f8

— seamus.pdf (@seamuslouisryan) June 27, 2016

Wow, Brendan O'Connor is truly showing his vile misogynist colours in this Indo piece. https://t.co/UVSbJEJ6gO — Rachel W. (@Rachelagain) June 27, 2016

I'm not sure what's worse, that he wrote this or that it made it to presshttps://t.co/KsNfUggsLw

— JP Jordan (@jp_jordan) June 27, 2016

Brendan O'Connor wrote about how he had a good old gawk at some 12 year olds arse as she headed off to Rihanna. https://t.co/H4yzPLKpZN — Dearbhla Ruisèal (@DervlaRussell) June 27, 2016

Disgusting read. Leering, judging & slut-shaming. If anyone is a poor role model here, it's Brendan O'Connor. https://t.co/iNrzAUsvaR

— Niamh (@JackBlacksNiece) June 27, 2016

https://t.co/H5iwgdrfyb decided from the first line I really hated this writer, figures that it's Brendan O'Connor — chloe (@la_cloy) June 27, 2016

We highly recommend that you stay at home next time Bren.