The Unjust Cost of Highlighting Women's Sports
Women's sports have made tremendous strides in recent years. Historically, it has been a slow and steady uphill battle for female athletes trying to find their rightful place in the sports world, with specific achievements obtained along the way. Their numerous challenges include pay disparities, limited opportunities to participate in major events, a blatant lack of fair media coverage, and neglect for years.
While some of these topics have been resolved in recent years, gender-related obstacles aren't the only ones these athletes must endure. As the gender breach in sports begins to narrow, the increase in attention has brought on a new wave of resistance against the players, this time in the form of racism and homophobia.
The WNBA has been one of the main recipients of all this attention, including both the triumphs and tribulations associated with the popularity surge of women's sports. An increase in the league's coverage has contributed to this newfound interest, but it can also be attributed to the rise of rookie stars, such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, joining legendary veterans, like Diana Taurasi and Alyssa Thomas.
Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark before the NBA Draft (AP Photo)
As the excitement for the league is rising, people are closely following the WNBA finals. The Minnesota Lynx are facing the New York Liberty in a best-of-five series, which is currently at a 2-1 result, with the Liberty taking the lead. Game 1 was intense, as both teams fought vigorously for the win. In a dramatic finish, Liberty's own Breanna Stewart missed the game-winning shot twice, once at the end of regular time and again during the overtime buzzer. After the game, Breanna became the target of homophobic threats against her and her wife, Marta Xargay. The athlete's wife received these anonymous attacks directly to her email account, making the encounter even more troublesome.
Breanna Stewart during the WNBA Finals (Getty)
“The fact it came to Marta’s email is something she (had to) see. The level of closeness was a little bit different,” she said. “Make sure that myself and Marta are okay, but that our kids are the safest.”
Breanna and Marta with their children this summer (Instagram)
Breanna also mentioned she had already reported this incredibly alarming incident to the authorities, yet it's unfortunately not an isolated case. Other players have been outspoken about the rise in the abuse they've been getting in the last seasons, receiving racist remarks and homophobic threats both in person and online.
Connecticut Sun's Alyssa Thomas received a slew of hateful remarks last month after defeating the Caitlin Clark-led Indiana Fever. She stated that she had never received those types of comments in her 11 years playing in the league.
Alyssa Thomas
These athletes have endured years of unequal treatment to get the spotlight they deserve finally, but must it come at the price of heightened scrutiny and abuse?
It's deeply concerning that, while the league celebrates women of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community, aspects of their identities are being used against them based on match outcomes. This misplaced passion for the game is not what the league envisioned when it sought to expand its fanbase. Instances like those involving Alyssa and Breanna must be condemned and addressed swiftly. The league should leverage its growing platform to combat these toxic behaviors and protect players' safe spaces.