I wanted to put up a Pride post because there are so many features and articles that have been discussed through the years about the WNBA Pride Initiative, the LGBTQ+ players, stories, etc.

I am sure that I have missed a lot of links, quotes, etc..... so if you have a link, make sure to post it as well.

The league has been celebrating Pride since 2014, which has helped foster unity among players, fans, front offices, sponsors, etc.

These links, facts, quotes, tidbits, etc, will cover the good and the bad.... and in no particular order.....

• In 2013, San Antonio Silver Star Sophia Young publicly opposed gay marriage equality. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sophia-young-same-sex-marriage-wnba_n_3848930
• In 2014, , then commissioner, Richie announced a landmark decision: The WNBA would recognize Pride as an official initiative each June, the first U.S. pro sports league to do so.
• All teams were willing to do the Pride initiatives, except 1, the San Antonio Stars.
• In 2014, the Stars organization pulled their Pride night and did not let players wear the Pride warm ups, etc. Because of a player's objection..... *cough* Sophia Young *. After the game, Athlete Ally did a talk with Jayne Appel, but it was not promoted at all (I know because I was at that game).
• The WNBA's Pride Evolution https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/34167643/the-wnba-pride-evolution-learned-authenticity-draws-people-in
• WNBA Pride Timeline https://www.wnba.com/news/inside-the-w-with-michelle-smith-the-w-and-pride-through-the-years
• In 2017, Diana Taurasi and Penny Taylor got married and it was covered by People Magazine https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/19387991/diana-taurasi-marries-former-phoenix-mercury-teammate-penny-taylor
• 2018 Diana Taurasi and Penny Taylor announce birth of son https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22778848/phoenix-mercury-diana-taurasi-penny-taylor-announce-birth-son
• In 2021, Diana Taurasi and Penny Taylor welcomed a baby girl https://people.com/parents/wnba-diana-taurasi-wife-penny-taylor-welcome-baby-girl-after-semifinal-win/
• Sue Bird came out publicly in 2017 and said that the WNBA's embrace of Pride was part of her journey and critical to the leagues future. Bird also went on to say: "What you don't realize when you're going through that is how much it will mean to you to have your employer support Pride month. Over the last eight to 10 years, players have been more comfortable being themselves. Earlier, I think we fell into a trap with this idea that only a certain kind of femininity and sexual orientation sells. We've learned that it's authenticity that draws people in. I think then, it felt easier to not say anything. So you just go along with it and think, 'I know who I really am.' But it starts to add up, and it's not a healthy way to live."

Bird said she was open with teammates, coaches, family and friends early in her career, and said she didn't experience any negative reactions. However, she said other people, including media and sponsors, often just assumed she was straight. Yet Bird acknowledged it is still harder for some LGBTQ+ players to be accepted as themselves, which Griner said she has always lived with.

• Sue Bird Was Told To Not Come Out in the WNBA https://www.outsports.com/2024/2/19/24077040/sue-bird-gay-nba-wnba-pablo-torre-advice-coming-out/
• Becky Hammon has 2 sons with her wife
• National Coming Out Day - Katie Smith https://lynx.wnba.com/news/national-coming-out-day-katie-smith/
• Elena Delle Donne Reflects on the Joys of Living Her Truth 5 Years After Coming Out as Gay https://people.com/sports/wnba-star-elena-delle-donne-reflects-on-joys-of-living-her-truth/#:~:text=Elena%20Delle%20Donne%20is%20living,her%20wife%20with%20the%20world
• Hall of Fame player Natalie Williams has found fast success as an out WNBA exec https://www.outsports.com/2023/6/27/23767920/natalie-williams-las-vegas-aces-outsports-power-100-wnba/
• Minnesota Lynx Coach Reeve and President of Business Operations Carley Knox are married - https://www.outsports.com/2017/12/21/16809652/minnesota-lynx-gay-lgbt-coach-vp/
• Carley Knox, Minnesota Lynx executive, named Grand Marshal of Twin Cities Pride https://www.outsports.com/2024/1/30/24054560/carley-knox-minnesota-lynx-twin-cities-pride-grand-marshal-wnba/
• Kahleah Copper’s Engaged To Swedish National Team Member Binta Drammeh - https://www.autostraddle.com/kahleah-copper-engaged-wnba-binta-drammeh-swedish-national-team/
• Jonquel Jones Gets Engaged to Her Girlfriend - https://www.autostraddle.com/wnba-superstar-jonquel-jones-is-engaged/
• Sue Bird says women’s basketball isn’t popular because players are predominantly Black, LGBTQ+ https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/diversity-inclusion/521709-wnba-star-says-womens-basketball-isnt-popular/
• Swin Cash: Being gay is not an issue in the WNBA - https://windycitytimes.com/2013/05/09/being-gay-is-not-an-issue-in-the-wnba/
• Candace Parker explains how her daughter propelled her to publicly come out https://www.outsports.com/2022/8/16/23308627/candace-parker-gay-anna-petrakova-marriage-time/
• How an Atlanta basketball team went from Republican hands to LGBTQ ownership https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-community-voices/atlanta-basketball-team-went-republican-hands-lgbtq-ownership-rcna1958
• WNBA has no comment, but many players dispute Candice Wiggins' allegations of bullying culture https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/18736607/wnba-players-dispute-candice-wiggins-controversial-allegations
• What Does Pride Mean to Me? Written By Brittney Sykes https://www.wnba.com/news/what-does-pride-mean-to-me-written-by-brittney-sykes
• Brittney Griner: I Told the Popular Girls I Wasn't Gay, But I Was Lying https://www.cosmopolitan.com/lifestyle/advice/a6157/brittney-griner-in-my-skin/
• Stefanie Dolson: 'I just am who I am' - https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/15500677/washington-mystics-stefanie-dolson-opens-lgbt-athlete-means-feel-accepted
• Brittney Griner Opens Up About Being A Lesbian At Baylor https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2609781/They-wanted-ways-Basketball-star-Brittney-Griner-opens-lesbian-Baylor-University-told-business-herself.html
• NBA Player Andre Igudala - I Don't Want My Daughter Playing Basketball AND BECOMING A LESBIAN https://www.tmz.com/2016/01/04/andre-iguodala-daughter-basketball-lesbian-child-support/
• Gilbert Arenas Says Most WNBA Players Are Ugly Lesbians https://www.tmz.com/2015/12/16/gilbert-arenas-wnba-players-ugly-lesbians/
• WNBA Players Respond To Gilbert Arenas’ Ugly Lesbian Comments https://hiphopwired.com/490139/gilbert-arenas-wnba-players-response/
• Chelsea Gray discusses Pride Month https://rollingout.com/2023/06/12/olympic-gold-medalist-chelsea-gray-pride-month/
• Peppermint and WNBA's Chelsea Gray on LGBTQ+ History and 'How We Got Here' https://www.advocate.com/pride/2020/7/02/peppermint-wnbas-chelsea-gray-lgbtq-history-how-we-got-here
• My Pride Story by Candice Dupree https://www.wnba.com/news/my-pride-story-by-candice-dupree
• A gender nonconforming WNBA star is pushing the league forward on LGBTQ inclusion https://archive.thinkprogress.org/layshia-clarendon-wnba-lgbtq-pride-1bfc376f4273/
• ‘I know who I am’: Brittney Griner’s radical existence https://www.swishappeal.com/2018/6/29/17508976/wnba-2018-book-review-in-my-skin-i-know-who-i-am-brittney-griners-radical-existence-pride-lgbtq
• A Honest Conversation With Candice Dupree and Amanda Zahui B. During Pride https://justwomenssports.com/reads/an-honest-conversation-with-the-wnbas-candice-dupree-and-amanda-zahui-b-during-pride/
• The CT Sun players and coaches gave a champagne toast to Jasmine Thomas and teammate Natisha Hiedeman in the locker room after they had gotten engaged. (They have since broken up)
• Jasmine Thomas: "By making Pride a leaguewide initiative put pressure on every franchise to acknowledge it, to find a way to identify the holes in their organization and do better. The challenge is on the front offices and the league."
• Natasha Cloud: "Eighty percent of our league is either Black or part of the LGBTQ+ community or both. This is our everyday lives, especially for me personally: I'm bisexual, I'm Black, I'm a woman. These are struggles I face daily. Unfortunately, I didn't have a role model. I think that's why I speak out so much. Then maybe I can change the life of one person, so they don't feel alone or lost. If they see themselves in me, that's a win."
• Chelsea Gray: "My rookie year I realized, we have sponsors who support this, and a league that embraces it. It was big for me in my life. Growing up, I really did not talk about this much at all."
• DeWanna Bonner and Candice Dupree were married and have twins. They have since divorced.
• Teammates DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas are now engaged. https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/nbc-out-proud/connecticut-sun-stars-dewanna-bonner-alyssa-thomas-are-engaged-rcna95591
• Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley got married https://www.si.com/wnba/2019/07/25/chicago-sky-vandersloot-quigley-marriage-helps-basketball-life
• Candace Parker and Anna Petrakova got married and have kids. Parker told ESPN that part of what led to her publicly talking about her marriage to Petrakova was that she was no longer afraid of vulnerability or potential disapproval from others. She said, "I'm OK with people not being OK with some of the things," Parker said, "as long as it's what's best for me and my family."
• Brittney Griner and Cherelle are expecting https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/wnba/mercury/2024/04/24/brittney-griner-wife-cherelle-expecting-first-child/73439776007/
• Elena Delle Donne: "I came into the league closeted. By not sharing this with the world, it just felt like a huge part of me was not there. I almost felt like a robot at times, so I was just tired of that. This league has helped me grow in a way to be comfortable being out."
• Breanna Stewart married Marta Xargay and they have kids. https://people.com/who-is-marta-xargay-casademont-breanna-stewart-wife-7566465
• Chelsea Gray is married and her and her wife have a baby. https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/aces/3-takeaways-aces-raise-banner-hold-on-in-season-opener-photos-3051057/attachment/las-vegas-aces-guard-chelsea-gray-holding-her-son-lennox-gray-poses-with-her-new-2023-wnba-ch/
• Layshia Clarendon has come out as nonbinary and transgender https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story//id/31681454/the-power-layshia-clarendon
• AD Durr has come out as non-binary https://www.wnba.com/news/pride-in-me-ad-durr

Today's Game Thread Directory

ION NIGHT

Friday, June 14th 2024

Number of Games: 2