ESPN's Britt McHenry lashed out at tweeter who said TV sexualizes women

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Arkansas attorney Sarah Sparkman observed women are sexualized on TV
Someone replied and mentioned Britt McHenry, but didn't tag the reporter
However, McHenry found the post and began lashing out at Sparkman
She called her a 'rando', insulted her appearance, and mocked her for 'bashing more successful ppl on Twitter'
Echoes how McHenry told tow clerk: 'I'm on TV, you're in a f---ing trailer'

Published: 10:02 EST, 18 April 2015 | Updated: 11:27 EST, 18 April 2015

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Her vicious attack on a tow company clerk was not Britt McHenry's first brush with conflict.

The disgraced ESPN sports reporter has been suspended for a week after footage emerged of her telling single mother-of-three Gina Michelle: 'I'm on TV and you're in a f---ing trailer, honey.'

But just a month earlier she used similar language to berate an Arkansas attorney and women's rights campaigner on Twitter.

Sarah Sparkman, who tweets with the handle @cupcakesarenice, remarked to her followers that she felt uneasy about the way female sports reporters are sexualized on screen.

Her observation infuriated McHenry in a fight that ended with the reporter raging: 'you sound really bitter. if you work as hard as you say you do, you wouldn't bash more successful ppl on twitter.'

Twitter fight: Sarah Sparkman (left), a lawyer from Arkansas, tweeted about how female sports reporters are sexualized - and was met with a tirade of anger from Britt McHenry (right) despite not tagging her in the tweet

Screengrabs of the conversation on March 12 have been posted on Sparkman's blog.

It started when Sparkman wrote to her followers: 'I wish there were more women in sports broadcasting that aren't completely sexualized.

'I'm tired of seeing all sexualized photos of Kacie McDonnell in my newsfeed. I have no idea if she's talented, but I know how she's branded.

'I have nothing against beautiful women being in sports media,' she wrote, 'I just wish that they were presented as professionals and not models.'

A follower responded by mentioning Britt McHenry's name - and the situation rapidly escalated.

Although they did not tag McHenry in the tweet, the 28-year-old reporter found it and began berating Sparkman.

Despite having written her own blog post condemning sexualization in Super Bowl adverts, McHenry seemed angered by the suggestion that female sports reporters might be sexualized.

She raged: 'went to northwestern & played competitive sports. What's wrong w/ a woman wanting to look nice & be intelligent?'

Sparkman responded: 'I have zero issue with beautiful women in sports media. What I have issue with is how they are sexualized.'

McHenry hit back: 'define that? I modeled & still graduated in 3 yrs w/ a masters. those things don't have to be mutually exclusive.'

To clarify her point, Sparkman sent McHenry a link to the definition of 'sexualization'.

McHenry was not satisfied: 'personally I believe it's ppl who don't have 1 trait or the other who try to demean others,' adding, 'so you're being more of a hater than the men themselves?'

In a bid to extract herself from the back-and-forth, Sparkman tweeted her exasperation to her followers: 'Man, I swear I can't give an opinion without some rando on Twitter seeking me out and bashing their misinterpretation.'

The comment prompted McHenry's final scathing words, which echo the abuse she level at the tow company clerk on April 6.

'Technically given the two of us, you're the rando,' McHenry tweeted, adding: 'you sound really bitter. If you work as hard as you say you do, you wouldn't bash more successful ppl on twitter.'

Her stance was at odds with a blog post she wrote in January, aiming to champion women's rights.

In it, McHenry describes a cheeseburger advert that features an almost naked woman, writing: 'When so many females fight for gender equality in pay and opportunity – still to this day in 2015 – an advertisement like that only sets women back generations.'

'Women,' she pontificates, 'can be comfortable in their own skin... Be the woman with a voice, not the sex-ed up body without one.'

But after the release of the towing company's surveillance footage, many have questioned how strongly she feels about equality between women.

The Twitter tirade bore surprising similarities with her attack against single mother-of-three Gina Michelle of Advanced Towing in Arlington, Virginia, on Easter weekend.

McHenry had left her car in the parking lot of Chinese restaurant Hunan One overnight, despite obvious signs warning that cars would be towed.

When her vehicle was removed, McHenry went to the towing station and made her irritation plain.

She fumes at Michelle: 'I’m in the news, sweetheart, I will f---ing sue this place.'

The parking attendant can be heard in the video warning McHenry she is being filmed and threatens to 'play your video'.

McHenry seems unfussed, responding: 'That’s why I have a degree and you don't - I wouldn't work in a scumbag place like this.

'Makes my skin crawl even being here.'

ESPN's Britt McHenry's viscous attack on tow truck attendee

Caught red-faced: Incredibly, McHenry was warned that she was being filmed at the start of her ugly rant, however continued to insult the woman's looks, education and job on-camera

Vicious: ESPN sports reporter Britt McHenry has been suspended for one week and could face further punishment after video surfaced of her berating an Advanced Towing employee in Arlington, Virginia

Glamorous: Originally from New Jersey, McHenry is a sideline reporter for ESPN based in Washington D.C. Pictured is Gina Michelle, the clerk abused by McHenry and told she needed to lose some weight

The parking attendant patiently replies: 'Well let's get you out of here quickly.'

McHenry then fires back: 'Yep, that's all you care about - taking people's money… with no education, no skill set. Just wanted to clarify that.'

After a few more comments, including telling the woman she doesn't have a brain, McHenry delivers her biggest sting.

'Maybe if I was missing some teeth they would hire me, huh?' she says.

'Cos I'm on television and you're in a f---ingg trailer, honey.'

Finally, before walking away, McHenry says: 'Lose some weight, baby girl.'

Online petitions calling for the sports network to fire McHenry, 28, were approaching 10,000 signatures Friday night after video was published on her rant against Gina Michelle of Advanced Towing in Arlington, Virginia.

Warning: Since Britt McHenry's outburst, this sign has been placed on the door of the Chinese restaurant

Restaurant employees said McHenry left her car in the parking lot after happy hour then went elsewhere

McHenry tweeted her regret but has yet to make any attempt to apologize to Michelle.

Advanced Trading Company insists it does not want McHenry to suffer.

In a statement Advanced Towing said: 'Parking enforcement is contentious by nature. At the same time, neither Gina, our lot clerk, nor our company, have any interest in seeing Britt McHenry suspended or terminated as a result of her comments.

'Ms McHenry is our neighbor, and, as she said, to paraphrase, made remarks that were out of line. She is human and errors in judgement can be made in the heat of the moment.

'Gina is a single mother of 3 children who works a difficult job to provide her family. Gina holds no ill will toward Ms McHenry.

'As a small regulated business, we saw no benefit to releasing the video, except to highlight personal attacks employees in jobs like towing, public parking enforcement and others sometimes encounter.

'The video was not licensed or sold to anyone.'

Women's rights champion? Britt McHenry encourages her blog readers to 'be the woman with a voice, not the sex-ed up body without one'. She said she posted this selfie as an example of female empowerment