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NRL player Jarrod Wallace has defended himself after one of his social media posts sparked accusations of sexism.
The Dolphins prop, 31, on Sunday posted a photo on Instagram of his heavily pregnant fiancée Shannon Wells, alongside the caption, ‘You look real good cooking our little boy, but even better when you’re washing my clothes.’
He was bombarded with abuse from trolls saying this was sexist and disrespectful, prompting Wallace to update the caption to clarify it was just an in-joke between the couple.
Returning to Instagram on Monday, Wallace apologised for his post but reiterated it was an ‘innocent’ joke – before calling out the keyboard warriors for allegedly making threats against his family.
Posting a photo of himself kissing Wells, he wrote: ‘I am sorry to anyone that possibly took offence to an innocent inside joke between my fiancé [sic] and I.’
Jarrod Wallace has defended himself after his social media post prompted backlash for being ‘sexist’. Pictured with fiancée Shannon Wells
‘I now know that I need to better elaborate any posts with intended humour in future,’ he added.
‘It was not my intention, but to clarify, it is an ongoing joke between us.
‘I am a proud dad and step-dad to our four beautiful little girls, also the most empowering of my beautiful fiancée and would never want anyone to have an opinion I am sexist or promoting sexism as a public figure.
‘My fiancée is the heart of our home and goes above for me and the girls, I love and respect her more than you can imagine.
‘That being said, misinterpretation of an inside joke does not give strangers permission to send threatening messages to either myself or Shannon, threatening the wellbeing of our daughters and unborn child.
‘Those matters will now be dealt with legally and will investigated by police.’
On Sunday the NRL prop, 31, shared a photo of himself and Wells attending an event to Instagram with an incredibly tone deaf caption which enraged his followers
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Amid the ensuing backlash, the Dolphins prop returned to social media to address the issue
The lengthy post came in the wake of Jarrod’s allegedly sexist comment about his heavily pregnant fiancée.
Following the barrage of criticism, Wallace was quick to change the message to: ‘Take 2 – my beautiful fiancé looking gorgeous while cooking our baby boy.
‘Also, for anyone concerned about my first post, it was an inside joke between us.’
Despite quickly deleting the sexist remark, the backlash didn’t let up with one person writing: ‘Sometimes it’s best to keep an inside joke inside.’
Another goaded: ‘Bring back the first post.’
It’s an inside joke for a reason, for it to be kept between the two of you. Usually, if you’re a public figure, you’d think about what you’re typing before you post it,’ someone else said.
‘You look real good cooking our little boy, but even better when you’re washing my clothes,’ he wrote alongside a Smiling Face with Hearts emoji. He was quick to change the message after copping the backlash to: ‘Take 2 – my beautiful fiancé looking gorgeous while cooking our baby boy
The Dolphins player’s partner Shannon stepped in to do damage control, commenting: ‘Well, thankfully you do the washing honey, along with everything else while I’m nauseous.’
However, the damage was already done as Jarrod was forced to switch off the comments on his post to avoid further online hate.
It comes just weeks after Jarrod announced he was welcoming his fourth child to a third mother following his marriage breakdown with Courtney Thorpe last June.
Jarrod shares daughters Peyton, seven, and Lara, nine, with a former partner, as well as daughter Kennedy, three, with Courtney.
It comes just weeks after Jarrod announced he was welcoming his fourth child to a third mother following his marriage breakdown with Courtney Thorpe (right) last June
