This past February, a disturbing echo from the past reverberated through American media when a group on ESPN's The Pat McAfee Show spread a scandalous and unfounded rumor about a young college student, McAfee’s casual banter mirroring the sensationalized discussions of tabloids from yesteryear. The gossip in question revolved around Mary Kate Cornett, a first-year student at the University of Mississippi, whose private life was thrust into the spotlight without her consent.

McAfee, the show's host, introduced this salacious story as if it were merely a lighthearted segment on upcoming NFL draft picks, choosing not to name the individuals involved. However, by sharing the clip on X (formerly Twitter) with his 3.2 million followers, he set off a chain reaction of harassment. Before long, Barstool Sports personality Jack Mac contributed to the perpetuation of this rumor by promoting a meme coin named after Cornett, inadvertently amplifying her suffering.

Despite Cornett’s denial of the rumor, it quickly spiraled out of control, triggering a wave of online abuse. According to reports from The Athletic, the harassment became so severe that Cornett was forced to leave her dormitory for emergency housing, as campus police expressed concern for her safety. The situation worsened when someone sent a false tip to law enforcement, leading a SWAT team to respond to her mother’s residence. Amid this chaos, Cornett received countless derogatory messages, not just targeting her but also affecting her elderly grandfather.

As she bravely contemplates legal action against McAfee and ESPN, it’s difficult not to draw parallels between her experience and the infamous narrative of misogyny from the 2000s, such as the public shaming that plagued celebrities like Britney Spears. The patterns are disturbingly familiar: a female figure becoming the target of idle gossip, with men exploiting her vulnerability for entertainment.

One has to wonder—have we really progressed beyond this culture of slut-shaming? In a world that has purportedly begun to reckon with its patterns of misogyny, the tale of Cornett reveals a toxic overlap between raunch culture and a revival of conservative puritanism. Sociologist Bernadette Barton elucidates how the post-Trump era has revived elements of earlier misogynistic tropes, where women’s worth is measured solely through their physical appeal to men, and shaming remains a tool of control.

Barton’s studies reveal how the dichotomy of women as either "virgins or whores" has evolved into a more vulgar spectrum, where a woman's worth is reduced to whether she is “hot or not.” The dangerous fixation on physical attractiveness feeds into a narrative that objectifies women while simultaneously vilifying them for the allure they possess.

As this unfortunate incident unfolds, it’s clear that the laughter of some men—encouraged by platforms such as X—aims not just to entertain, but also serves as a weapon for degrading women. Cornett’s story reminds us that beneath the humorous façade lies a troubling reality: the drive to humiliate remains alarmingly pervasive in today’s media landscape.

The question persists: How do we, as a society, begin to dismantle this cycle of shame and power, and protect the dignity of individuals like Cornett from becoming the latest reluctant figures in this destructive narrative? The time for dialogue and action is now, before we find ourselves caught in a repeated cycle of exploitation and humiliation.