Wiggins Trashes WNBA Culture

[oldude]

While I agree that the 98% figure she used is an exaggeration, there is little doubt that she as a straight woman was definitely in the minority. I am also pretty confident that the sexual preference of most players in the WNBA is common knowledge for another WNBA player.

I don't know and really don't care about the sexual preferences of WNBA players. That is entirely their business. When you use qualifiers like "little doubt" and "pretty confident" that indicates to me that you don't know either.

I am concerned about bullying. If Ms Wiggins was bullied I would hope she discussed the bullying with coaches, team officials or a lawyer. If she has a public record documenting the abuse, she's on far more solid ground than throwing out some made up number like 98% of players are gay.

 

[Jeff H]

There are several quotes in the article that are just ridiculous. For example:

“It comes to a point where you get compared so much to the men, you come to mirror the men,’ she said. “So many people think you have to look like a man, play like a man to get respect. I was the opposite. I was proud to a be a woman, and it didn’t fit well in that culture.”

Come on. How many WNBA players do you think really think feel like they " need to look like a man to get respect"? How many do you think are not proud to be a woman? Being gay does not mean you want to be more like the other sex.

 

[DefenseBB]

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

Apply that to whatever part of the article you want.

This is actually a fairly serious admonition of the WNBA and should not be taken lightly. Yes, her numbers seem too high and whatever the number is, the level is between 40-75% if past discussions and articles are to be believed. I have some very limited knowledge of the WNBA via NBA Corporate office and her statements are substantiated to some degree. Here's my best analogy for you- military, police, firefighters all have had (still have) cultural bullying against non-heterosexuals and in this environment where these women have been in a cocoon since college where they hang out solely with each other. I absolutely believe there is hostility from the majority to the minority (they think it is their world) and I believe management is aware and unsure how to combat it without it becoming too public and causing public damage. For a 20 year league still struggling for a foothold this will be disastrous. Sad is my only comment.

 

[CTisballers]

So for 8 years you get bullied and just now speaking up about it. Jealous?? She sounds like the only jealous player because her career didn't go quite as well she as she wanted. And do she think all Volleyball players are straight?? Sad to even come with this true or not. I like Wiggins and loved her game. I'm sure some young girls do too but scare now to even wanna play in the WNBA after reading this article

 

[oldude]

Far too much speculation on this board on a subject as serious as this. As an intelligent young women and Stanford grad, I would hope Ms Wiggins could provide some proof of her charges.

I would note that in a similar bullying situation involving the Miami Dolphins, fellow Stanford grad Jonathan Martin provided text & VM documentation to the NFL implicating Richie Incognito as the ringleader of the abuse. The NFL investigation confirmed the abuse and appropriate steps were taken to correct the situation including the suspension of Incognito.

 

[DefenseBB]

There are several quotes in the article that are just ridiculous. For example:

“It comes to a point where you get compared so much to the men, you come to mirror the men,’ she said. “So many people think you have to look like a man, play like a man to get respect. I was the opposite. I was proud to a be a woman, and it didn’t fit well in that culture.”

Come on. How many WNBA players do you think really think feel like they " need to look like a man to get respect"? How many do you think are not proud to be a woman? Being gay does not mean you want to be more like the other sex.

She said how she felt, you can't disagree with her feelings. If she said "so and so" is a racist, than you can disagree as that's an opinion. I completely respect your right to your opinion and am not even sure I disagree with some of your thoughts above, however we have heard too many people say they don't enjoy WCBB or the WNBA because it isn't what the men do. Sounds pretty coincidental to me.

 

[HuskyNan]

In doing a Google search I see Wiggins

Supported a gay athlete from Cal when he came out
Candice Wiggins | That's What She Said: A Bay Area Sports Blog

Supported Pride Night in Chicago
Pride Night important show of support

As well as supporting the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Network
The Bay Area Reporter Online | Sharks send mixed signals on LGBT night

If she has a problem with the WNBA, it doesn't appear to be based in homophobia. People should do some research before tacking labels onto someone.

 

[Plebe]

In doing a Google search I see Wiggins

Supported a gay athlete from Cal when he came out
Candice Wiggins | That's What She Said: A Bay Area Sports Blog

Supported Pride Night in Chicago
Pride Night important show of support

As well as supporting the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Network
The Bay Area Reporter Online | Sharks send mixed signals on LGBT night

If she has a problem with the WNBA, it doesn't appear to be based in homophobia. People should do some research before tacking labels onto someone.

I appreciate these links you tracked down. But I would also submit that homophobia is not a black-and-white, you-are-or-you-aren't type of thing.

 

[Kaizen]

Is this a fake news? seriously ...

 

[Kmoney]

Ok, let me see if I got this straight (bad pun). She feels uncomfortable being a heterosexual minority in a league that is dominated by homosexuals. I would love to hear her opinion on all the homosexuals that suffered alone and silently for years in the closet. Would she prefer they go back? Has she ever thought of suicide due to all of the homosexual pressure? I doubt it.
Duke and Stanford have both taken hits to their academic reputations this week. First, Kyrie Irving thinks the world is flat and now this.

 

[huskiemaniac]

She is going to get publicly trashed but I bet privately she gets a lot of support for speaking up. One thing though that she did mention about the WNBA is when they play. People are doing stuff and watching baseball in the spring and summer. Basketball is out of season when they play. If they played in season, college and NBA would kill them in the ratings. Catch 22.

She played overseas...so she could've just relaxed and rested during the summer if she felt the pay and players were so awful.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

"Kyrie Irving thinks the world is flat"is just an alternative fact that 98% of 20 month old grandchildren are persuaded into believing by octogenarians who look out the window only on a daily basis. Flat road, flat neighbors, flat dogs, flats, flat pancakes, flat foul shots and flat 3-pointers, flat interest rates at the bank. The world is flat. The flat world view(related to the Gestalt term "Weltangshung") is further supported by the chronic condition of flatulence so common to those of advanced years.

Now that we have used diversion and promoted calmness, we can return to our regularly scheduled program of moral outrage.

 

[Roger G]

It is despicable how many posters accuse Candace of "homophobia." None of you experienced what she experienced. That's more McCarthy like than her throwing out a wrong percentage as if to say "the vast majority," which may or may not be true but is her opinion. I guess she should have said 110% and then all of you would have understood.

As for the WNBA trying to get the women to act like men, as a former coach of girls, I understand what she means. It is a complex subject. Like Geno, I think oftentimes the expectation of females in sports is less and that is wrong. Unlike Geno, who occasionally brings up how he wants them to get nastier (i.e. as the men are) I think there is such a thing as femininity that is natural to who females are and they don't need to play nasty to be great. I think that's what the UConn women have shown us for the most part over the years. Most of you know that one reason you like our Husky women is that they are by and large really nice people. Women can be women and be great as women. Maya is a wonderful example of this. I do not know if she is heterosexual or homosexual, but either way she plays with a distinctly feminine character.

 

[JudgeSCR]

I have no idea if Ms. Wiggins is homophobic. However, her comments are deeply worrisome and lend to a valid concern that she is.

The fact that she has supported gay rights issues in the past is evidence of a general view but does not mean that she, at the same time, does not hold homophobic views. For example, there are many people who support women's rights in many respects but still hold some deeply sexist views. The fact that one supports women generally, promotes women in the workplace and even marries a woman does not mean one is free of uninformed and/or deeply sexist views. Sometimes people just haven’t yet connected the dissonance between multiple views they hold.

“98% of the women in the WNBA are gay women.”
Whether or not Ms. Wiggins is homophobic this comment is deeply troubling. Although she may have exaggerated to make a point, her comments likely cast some people as gay who are not. Now some players have to consider whether they publicly broadcast their sexuality or be assumed to be something they are not. They have to calculate whether by proclaiming their sexuality they are helping to demonize those who are gay and are thereby stating that it is somehow bad to be gay ("and therefore I don't want you to think that I am gay"). This may be an unintended, but real, consequence of her speaking so sweepingly (and likely inaccurately) about a group of women.

“People were deliberately trying to hurt me all the time” “I have never been thrown to the ground so much.” “There were horrible things that happened to me every day.”
These are overlooked and deeply troubling statements. If true, that is assault. If true, she is saying by implication that not only did players assault her “all the time” but the coaches, trainers and management, who certainly must have seen this behavior, condoned or promoted it. If this is true, this is a big deal and she should sue those players and teams, if for no other reason than to protect future players. The statute of limitations on some of that behavior has surely not passed. I assume she complained about this to coaches, team officials, the league, her friends and/or family so she will have ample support for her claims and be able to show these are not some newly contrived and reckless complaints. If not, these are dangerous and troubling statements that cast aspersions on multiple people.

“I was proud to be a woman.”
This is troubling for its implication -- gay players are not women or at least are not proud women like her. Otherwise why say it? This is a subtle and deeply homophobic statement in the context of her other statements. Maybe she is supportive of gay rights but she seems to make a distinction between someone who is proud to be a woman … and those others.

On so many fronts, her comments – if reported accurately – were deeply disturbing.

 

[Ukonnfan]

Yea Candace. Someone said it. Finally. All the haters will now come out.

 

[HuskyNan]

I appreciate these links you tracked down. But I would also submit that homophobia is not a black-and-white, you-are-or-you-aren't type of thing.

Nice diversion however I stand by my point that people are slapping a convenient label on Wiggins without clear knowledge of what's inside her head. If I claimed someone was narrow minded based on his post in this thread, there would be outrage, rightfully so because I based my opinion on one statement without looking at that person as a whole. How is calling Wiggins a homophobe, not matter whether of the black, white, or grey variety, any different?

 

[hjoerring]

One anecdote on this topic. My niece played and coached basketball from the age of 6 to 33 - playing rec league, AAU, high school, college (Div 3), coaching high school and college.

She is a lesbian, publicly coming out after high school. During a conversation once I asked her what percentage of the female players/coaches in her experience were lesbians. Her answer - 75%. If accurate, I'm sure the WNBA is higher.

I don't see how any of this matters, however.

At one time there were too many Whites/WASP, then too many Blacks, and now too many Lesbians. How can she be sure that 95% of those volleyball gals showing their mavels and and asses are not Lesbians? Sometimes too many (or whatever number stands in its place) tells more about the speaker and their worldview. Could she not have come-out (no pun) about being an upper middle class girl in what is (becoming) a working class culture/vocation? I won't go back to the article, but why had she not file her lived experiences under the contemporary claim of (sexual)harassment? why place it under the rubric of (the non-political/legal) femaleness? I'm willing to defend harassment claims, but am skepital if you think its not lady/girl-like to dive on the floor for a ball, etc. Which Candice (whom I had been fond of) was more specific-- not about people, but places and instances.

 

[Huskylove3]

I feel bad and sad for Wiggins.

If this was her experience, no one deserves that. Whether you're gay or straight, there should be no bullying. And if this was her experience, good for her for speaking up about it. An action will not stop unless it is acknowledged first.

However, when you are accusing a person, group of people, and an entire league of bullying, it's extremely important to be 100% factual in your claims. Otherwise, the rest of your statements will be looked upon as hearsay.. Then you add in that she is writing a book. The way she went about this is not one that I would suggest.

 

[LesMis89]

Wiggins takes a very serious matter - bullying - but muddies it up with stuff like "playing like men" and defining femininity. Is she trying to say that she was bullied, in part, for her playing style? She says that she was bullied for being straight. Was she bullied for being "feminine"?

Saying that 98% of the WNBA is lesbian seems like an exaggeration. Maybe it's accurate, maybe not. Is she saying that all lesbian WNBA players she played with bullied her?

Raising the serious issue of bullying deserves both serious discussion and action. But that's difficult without either clarity or a thoughtful well-reasoned presentation.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Mo Currie on Candice: http://moniquecurrie.sportsblog.com/posts/32075247/perception-is-real--candice-wiggins--truth.html

 

[Geew1992]

Mo Currie on Candice: Official Blog of Monique Currie :: Perception is Real: Candice Wiggins' Truth

Fantastic read.

 

[FASTEDDY]

Is anyone surprised that the WNBA is predominantly filled with gay players. It may not be 98% but I would bet its around 70-75%.

Like it or not, it is one of the reasons the league has a lot of trouble gaining a more mainstream following.

 

[OldAlum]

I don't know what the sexual orientations of WNBA players are and it really shouldn't matter. Nobody is paying them for that. They are BB players. And as a team, they should be able to work together regardless of orientation. However, I believe that in some locker rooms some bullying occurs. Lots of examples in sports. I doubt that it is generally over this issue but over perceived competition or that a player is felt not to be playing hard enough or contributing to the team. It may be that Wiggins perceives this to be worse for her as she feels "different". Would be interesting to hear former teammates takes on this.

The "being thrown down" stuff I took in the context of rough game play. I hope she was not reporting physical abuse off the court.

The concern about playing "like a woman" bothers me. What does that mean? Is less physical necessarily feminine? While I prefer a less physical game, I don't perceive it as a feminine issue. Otherwise I don't understand what she means. This part of her statements probably bothers me the most.

I suspect she felt that she didn't fit in with her teammates in the WNBA. It is too bad that the social atmosphere was not one she could embrace. But it doesn't mean anyone is "wrong". I imagine on most teams it is also more of a black culture than white due to the personnel. Hopefully in all cases the "minority" players are not abused in any way. Ideally teams find a way for inclusion in all aspects, but we know this does not always happen. These are the Pros and they are expected to do their jobs and work with others for the betterment of the team. You don't have to like everyone.

 

[Orangutan]

Nice diversion however I stand by my point that people are slapping a convenient label on Wiggins without clear knowledge of what's inside her head. If I claimed someone was narrow minded based on his post in this thread, there would be outrage, rightfully so because I based my opinion on one statement without looking at that person as a whole. How is calling Wiggins a homophobe, not matter whether of the black, white, or grey variety, any different?

Wiggins invoked a persistent and harmful stereotype about women's sports generally and the WNBA specifically - the players are lesbians and straight women are unwelcome. In doing so, she made a blatantly false statement, i.e."98 percent".

I don't know if she is a homophobe or not, but she made false statements and propagated a hurtful stereotype about women's sports and gay athletes. I didn't use that word but I understand why others might. If I see a two-legged waterfowl walking around and quacking, I'm not going to consult a biologist before using the word "duck".

 

[LesMis89]

I've read a lot of criticism on male college bball boards re the WNBA and women's college bball. These boards tend to be pretty blunt and "non-PC". I have never read a post stating that they don't want to watch lesbians. Never. Those not watching/attending fall into two groups with a big overlap between the two: 1) They don't like the style of play - far prefer the above-the-rim dash-and-flash men's game and find the women's game "boring" 2) Play in the wrong time of year, summer is baseball season.