Anyone who knows the history of women\u2019s sports fully grasps the idea that the personal is, indeed, political.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s because women in sports, much like women in society, have always had to struggle for basic rights, dignity and legitimacy. Therefore, it has become an obligation for women in sports to call out injustice as they see it. They haven\u2019t been given the privilege to just \u201cstick to sports\u201d like their male counterparts.<\/p>\n
Another such example of this reality came to fruition this week when various professional women\u2019s basketball players, once again, spoke up for justice in light of the recent killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis at the hands of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials.<\/p>\n
While competing for Mist BC in the second season of Unrivaled in Miami, the New York Liberty\u2019s Breanna Stewart walked out during player introductions with a sign reading \u201cABOLISH ICE.\u201d The recent tragedies hit even closer to home for her because her wife, Marta Xargay Casademont, with whom she has two children, is an immigrant from Spain and who\u2019s on a green card.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was just disgusted from everything that you see on Instagram and in the news,\u201d Stewart said to ESPN<\/a>. \u201cWe\u2019re so fueled by hate right now instead of love, so I wanted to have a simple message of \u2018ABOLISH ICE,\u2019 which means having policies to uplift families and communities instead of fueling fear and violence.\u201d<\/p>\n Before games on Jan. 25, Unrivaled also held a moment of silence. From there, the floodgates opened as a more WNBA\/Unrivaled players weighed in.<\/p>\n Brianna Turner, who recently played with the Indiana Fever, posted on social media, \u201cThe minority that are still defending ICE will forever be on the wrong side of history.\u201d<\/p>\n The Chicago Sky\u2019s Angel Reese posted, \u201cPraying for our country\u201d<\/p>\n During a post-shootaround media availability ahead of Unrivaled\u2019s Friday night games in Philadelphia, WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers, a native from Minnesota who plays for the Dallas Wings and Breeze BC, shared the following<\/a>:<\/p>\n It hits a little bit home for me because I\u2019m from there.<\/p>\n It\u2019s unfortunate. Honestly, I\u2019ve grown up seeing, and been a part of, peaceful protests, marches and the community coming together because of tragic events. Innocent lives are being taken, innocent families are being broken apart. People are afraid to send their children to school; people are afraid to go to work and provide for their family; people are afraid to go to the grocery store.<\/p>\n What\u2019s going on is not OK. We hope and pray there\u2019s a change in direction from where this is heading.<\/p>\n Another Minnesotan, Rachel Banham of the Chicago Sky and Lunar Owls BC, expressed her appreciation for how the environment of Unrivaled creating space to speak out, saying<\/a>:<\/p>\n It\u2019s a league comprising minorities, women of color, and we\u2019re never scared to speak on anything and represent though who don\u2019t have a voice. And that\u2019s always really cool to be a part of. I\u2019m not the most vocal person, but I\u2019m really proud to just be a part of people who are and I get to learn from them and learn from each other.<\/p>\n Male athletes and coaches have not been totally silent, with the likes of NBA stars Tyrese Haliburton, Steph Curry and Victor Wembanyama, and well as head coach Steve Kerr, condemning ICE and\/or supporting the people of Minneapolis.<\/p>\n But WNBA players were, right from the jump, leading the charge, which is nothing new.<\/p>\n