Molly Yanity, University of Rhode Island

The “Caitlin Clark effect,” or the impact on women’s basketball from a ponytailed rookie phenomenon from America’s heartland, is real: The 2024 WNBA season shattered viewership, attendance and merchandise sales records.

Clark, however, didn’t get a chance to compete for a league title.

The Connecticut Sun eliminated Clark’s team, the Indiana Fever, in the first round of the playoffs with a two-game sweep, ending her record rookie-of-the-year campaign.

And it may be just the latest chapter in a complicated saga steeped in race.

During the first game of the series, the fingers of Sun guard DiJonai Carrington hit Clark in the eye as Carrington followed through on a block attempt of a Clark shot.

During the next day’s media availability, USA Today columnist Christine Brennan recorded and posted an exchange between herself and Carrington.

In the brief clip, the veteran sports writer asks Carrington, who is Black, if she purposely hit Clark in the eye during the previous night’s game. Though Carrington insisted she didn’t intentionally hit Clark, Brennan persisted, asking the guard if she and a teammate had laughed about the incident. The questions sparked social media outrage, statements from the players union and the league, media personalities weighing in and more.

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Hit the pause button here.

As a longtime sports writer who has covered the WNBA – and as a journalism scholar who studies women’s sports and fandom – I’ll concede that Brennan’s line of questioning seems, on its face, like business as usual in sports journalism.

After all, haven’t most baseball fans seen a scribe ask a pitcher if he intentionally beaned a batter?

But Brennan’s questions were not asked in a vacuum. The emergence of a young, white superstar from the heartland has caused many new WNBA fans to pick sides that fall along racial lines. Brennan’s critics claim she was pushing a line of questioning that has dogged Black athletes for decades: that they are aggressive and undisciplined.

Because of that, her defense of her questions – and her unwillingness to acknowledge the complexities – has left this professor disappointed in one of her journalistic heroes.

Brennan and much of the mainstream sports media, particularly those who cover professional women’s basketball, still seem to have a racial blind spot.

The emergence of a Black, queer league

When the WNBA launched in 1997 in the wake of the success of the 1996 Olympic gold-medal-winning U.S. women’s basketball team, it did so under the watch of the NBA.

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The NBA set out to market its new product, in part, to a white, heterosexual fan base.

The plan didn’t take hold.

While the league experienced fits and starts in attendance and TV ratings over its lifetime, the demographic makeup of its players is undeniable: The WNBA is, by and large, a Black, queer league.

In 2020, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association reported that 83% of its members were people of color, with 67% self-reporting as “Black/African-American.” While gender and sexual identity hasn’t been officially reported, a “substantial proportion,” the WNBPA reported, identify as LBGTQ+.

In 2020, the league’s diversity was celebrated as players competed in a “bubble” in Bradenton, Florida, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They protested racial injustice, helped unseat a U.S. senator who also owned Atlanta’s WNBA franchise, and urged voters to oust former President Donald Trump from the White House.

Racial tensions bubble to the surface

In the middle of it all, the WNBA has more eyeballs on it than ever before. And, without mincing words, the fan base has “gotten whiter” since Clark’s debut this past summer, as The Wall Street Journal pointed out in July. Those white viewers of college women’s basketball have emphatically turned their attention to the pro game, in large part due to Clark’s popularity at the University of Iowa.

Money is also pouring into the league through a lucrative media rights deal and new sponsorship partners.

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While the rising tide following Clark’s transition to the WNBA is certainly lifting all boats, it is also bringing detritus to the surface in the form of racist jeers from the stands and on social media.

After the Sun dispatched the Fever, All-WNBA forward Alyssa Thomas, who seldom speaks beyond soundbites, said in a postgame news conference: “I think in my 11-year career I’ve never experienced the racial comments from the Indiana Fever fan base. … I’ve never been called the things that I’ve been called on social media, and there’s no place for it.”

Echoes of Bird and Magic

In “Manufacturing Consent,” a seminal work about the U.S. news business, Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky argued that media in capitalist environments do not exist to impartially report the news, but to reinforce dominant narratives of the time, even if they are false. Most journalists, they theorized, work to support the status quo.

In sports, you sometimes see that come to light through what media scholars call “the stereotypical narrative” – a style of reporting and writing that relies on old tropes.

Scholars who study sports media have found that reporters routinely fall back on racial stereotypes. For example, coverage of Black quarterbacks in the NFL as less intelligent and more innately gifted would go on to hinder the progress of Black quarterbacks.

In Brennan’s coverage of the Carrington-Clark incident, there appear to be echoes of the way the media covered Los Angeles Lakers point guard Magic Johnson and Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird in the 1980s.

The battles between two of the sport’s greatest players – one Black, the other white – was a windfall for the NBA, lifting the league into financial sustainability.

But to many reporters who leaned on the dominant narrative of the time, the two stars also served as stand-ins for the racial tensions of the post-civil rights era. During the 1980s, Bird and Magic didn’t simply hoop; they were the “embodiments of their races and living symbols of how blacks and whites lived in America,” as scholars Patrick Ferrucci and Earnest Perry wrote.

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The media gatekeepers of the Magic-Bird era often relied on racial stereotypes that ultimately distorted both athletes.

For example, early in their careers, Bird and Johnson received different journalistic treatment. In Ferrucci and Perry’s article, they explain how coverage of Bird “fit the dominant narrative of the time perfectly … exhibiting a hardworking and intelligent game that succeeded despite a lack of athletic prowess.” When the “flashy” Lakers and Johnson won, they wrote, it was because of “superior skill.”

When they lost to Bird’s Celtics, they were “outworked.”

Framing matters

Let’s go back to Brennan.

Few have done more for young women in the sports media industry than Brennan. In time, energy and money, she has mentored and supported young women trying to break into the field. She has used her platform to expand the coverage of women’s sports.

Brennan defended herself in a lengthy interview on the podcast “Good Game with Sarah Spain”:

“I think [critics are] missing the fact of what I’m trying to do, what I am doing, what I understand clearly as a journalist, asking questions and putting things out there so that athletes can then have an opportunity to answer issues that are being discussed or out there.”

I don’t think Brennan asking Carrington about the foul was problematic. Persisting with the narrative was.

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Leaning into racial stereotypes is not simply about the language used anymore. Brennan’s video of her persistent line of questioning pitted Carrington against Clark. It could be argued that it used the stereotype of the overly physical, aggressive Black athlete, as well.

At best, Brennan has a blind spot to the strain racism is putting on Black athletes today – particularly in the WNBA. At worst, she is digging in on that tired trope.

A blind spot can be addressed and seen. An unacknowledged racist narrative, however, will persist.

Molly Yanity, Professor and Director of Sports media and Communication, University of Rhode Island

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The Sports section of STM Daily News is your ultimate destination for all things sports, catering to everyday fans and dedicated enthusiasts alike. We cover a wide range of topics, from the thrill of amateur competitions to the excitement of semi-professional and professional leagues. Our content delves into physical and mental fitness, providing insights and tips that help individuals elevate their performance, whether on the field or in their personal wellness journeys. Stay informed and inspired as we explore the dynamic world of sports, celebrating both the passion of the players and the joy of the fans.

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Canada’s first-ever Action Plan on Combatting Hate brings together key federal initiatives to combat hate across the country

OTTAWA, ON /CNW/ – Canada, like elsewhere around the world, has seen a rise in hate both on the streets and online in recent years. The federal government is committed to doing whatever it takes to protect everyone living in Canada as well as the resilient and diverse communities across the country to ensure that all can thrive while being their authentic self.

The rise in hate incidents has disproportionately affected Indigenous Peoples; Black, racialized, religious minorities, and 2SLGBTQI+ communities; women; and persons with disabilities. Hate not only harms those directly targeted but also impacts the broader Canadian society, undermining social cohesion and posing a threat to national security.

That’s why today, the Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, unveiled Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate. The Action Plan represents Canada’s first-ever comprehensive cross-government effort to combat hate. It brings together 20 key federal initiatives grounded on three pillars:

• Empower communities to identify and prevent hate;
• Support victims and survivors, and protect communities; and
• Build community trust, partnerships and institutional readiness.

The Action Plan invests $273.6 million over six years, and $29.3 million ongoing, to tackle hatred from multiple angles. It includes increasing support to victims and survivors, helping communities prevent, address and protect people from hate; enhancing research and data collection; providing greater resources for law enforcement; and raising public awareness.

Everyone has a right to be safe and treated with dignity. We will collaborate with provincial, territorial and international governments, as well as First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners, and cities and communities across Canada to make this happen. Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate will help us continue building a safer and more inclusive Canada where everyone can succeed, regardless of who they are, who they love or what they believe in.

Quotes

“Everyone has the right to feel safe, regardless of who they are, what they look like or what they believe in. We have all been alarmed to witness the tragic consequences of hate, both at home and abroad. Hate has no place in Canada – whether in person or online, in our schools, or in our places of worship. Our government is committed to keeping communities across the country safe. Because when someone becomes a victim of hate, it affects all of us. Canada’s first-ever Action Plan on Combatting Hate represents an unprecedented cross-government effort to combat hate while providing more support to victims of hate and at-risk communities. As we face difficult and challenging times, we must stand up for who are as a country – a country where diversity is our strength and where everyone can be who they are and achieve their dreams without fear.”

—The Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities

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“Hate, in all its forms, has no place in Canada – everyone has a right to feel and be safe in their homes and in their communities. We all have a role to play in fighting discrimination and fostering a fairer, safer and more inclusive Canada. The Changing Narratives Fund, as part of Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate, will break down systemic barriers and empower diverse voices in the arts, culture and media. The fund ensures their experiences and perspectives are better represented, and advances anti-racism, equity, and diversity and inclusion within the cultural and media sectors.”

—The Honourable Pascale St–Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage

“In the face of an increase in hate crimes, our government is stepping up to ensure at-risk communities can access financial support to protect their institutions. The new Canada Community Security Program is designed to be simpler, more flexible and more generous, in direct response to what we’ve heard from community organizations across the country.”

—The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs

“No one should live in fear of being who they are, but we know that discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity and expression continues to be a reality in Canada. This is wrong and must be eliminated. Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate complements actions we have taken to protect and support Canadians since 2015, including the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, all of which were developed by listening to the voices and lived experiences of individuals and communities across Canada. As always, we continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with all communities experiencing hate and we will not hesitate to use all federal tools to protect and support them.”

—The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth

“We all expect to be safe in our homes, in our neighbourhoods and in our communities. This is why we introduced Bill C-63, a key component of Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate. We know that online harms can have real world impacts with tragic and sometimes fatal consequences. This legislation is about keeping everyone safer in an online world that can feel more dangerous and unfortunately more toxic each and every day so that women, racialized persons, 2SLGBTQI+ people, and people of diverse faiths and backgrounds can go to their places of worship, community centres, schools or work without fearing that online threats might turn into real world danger.”

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—The Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

“Canada is as innovative as it is diverse, and it is far more successful when everyone is given a fair chance to develop their full potential, free from hate and discrimination. With Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate, we are standing up to confront hate and protect Canadians, and Statistics Canada will be key in researching and gathering the data needed to build a safer and more resilient society.”

—The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

“Canada is a country rich in diversity, where every person deserves to feel safe and be respected. This is why today we’re launching Canada’s first-ever Action Plan on Combatting Hate, a commitment of $273 million to help build a safe Canada for everyone.”

—Sameer Zuberi, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities 

Quick Facts

Budget 2022 provided $85 million over four years, starting in 2022–23, to the Department of Canadian Heritage to launch and implement the new Anti-Racism Strategy and a national action plan on combatting hate. Budget 2024 provides an additional $273.6 million over six years, starting in 2024–25, and $29.3 million ongoing to support Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate. The Action Plan brings together key initiatives led by federal departments and organizations, including Canadian Heritage, Public Safety Canada, Justice Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Women and Gender Equality Canada, Statistics Canada and the Canadian Race Relations Foundation.

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According to the July 2024 Statistics Canada data release, the number of police-reported hate crimes increased from 3,612 incidents in 2022 to 4,777 in 2023 (+32%), even though some victims might not report a hate crime they experienced. This followed an 8-percent increase in 2022 and a 72-percent increase from 2019 to 2021. Overall, the number of police-reported hate crimes (+145%) has more than doubled since 2019.

Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate is complemented by the work of the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism and the Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia.

Public Safety Canada’s enhanced Canada Community Security Program (CCSP) (previously the Security Infrastructure Program) is also part of Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate. The CCSP is making it easier and more efficient for organizations and communities at risk of hate-motivated crime to access security support when they need it.

The Action Plan aligns with ongoing efforts to further mitigate the risk of exposure to harmful content online through Bill C-63, which proposes to create a new Online Harms Act to create stronger protections for the most vulnerable groups online. The Government of Canada has tabled Bill C-63, An Act to enact the Online Harms Act, to amend the Criminal Code, the Canadian Human Rights Act and An Act respecting the mandatory reporting of Internet child pornography by persons who provide an Internet service and to make consequential and related amendments to other Acts, in the House of Commons.

Canada is signatory to the Christchurch Call to Eliminate Terrorist and Violent Extremist Content Online, which is a global pledge by 56 governments, including Canada, as well as online service providers and civil society organizations to coordinate and collaborate on efforts to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. The Government of Canada reiterates its engagement to advance the Christchurch Call to Action in Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate.

Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate complements Changing Systems, Transforming Lives: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2024–2028. Both initiatives take a comprehensive and intersectional approach to confronting hate, racism and discrimination.

Associated Links

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Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate

The Canada Community Security Program

Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy: Changing Systems, Transforming Lives 2024–2028

Building a Foundation for Change: Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy 2019–2022

Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program (formerly the Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives [CSMARI])

Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan

Backgrounder: Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate

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OTTAWA, September 24, 2024

Far too many people’s lives are impacted by hate and its devastating consequences. Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate is informed by individuals and communities with lived experience of hate. It is grounded in consultation activities organized by the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat, which included:

• 15 town halls
• 2 national summits on antisemitism and Islamophobia;

• 1 national youth forum on anti-Black racism;
• 21 roundtables; and
• an online questionnaire open to everyone in Canada.

Additionally, the Action Plan builds on community engagement conducted by the 2SLGBTQI+ Secretariat for the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan, three roundtables led by Public Safety Canada on the Security Infrastructure Program (now known as the Canada Community Security Program), and research and recommendations from the Canadian Race Relations Foundation. 

The Action Plan lays the foundation for the Government of Canada’s robust response to the growing threat of hate while ensuring every person’s right to be safe and treated with dignity. To achieve this goal, priority areas for action are organized under three pillars:

• Empower communities to identify and prevent hate;
• Support victims and survivors, and protect communities; and
• Build community trust, partnerships and institutional readiness.

To drive real change across the country, the Action Plan brings new and existing initiatives together to foster greater coordination and collaboration among federal organizations. Working in collaboration with their provincial, territorial, international, Indigenous and municipal counterparts, it includes federal initiatives led by:

• Canadian Heritage;
• Canadian Race Relations Foundation;
• Justice Canada;
• Public Safety Canada;
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police;
• Statistics Canada; and
• Women and Gender Equality Canada.

Everyone has multiple and diverse factors of identity that intersect. This impacts how individuals understand and experience hate and the government’s response to hate crimes and hate incidents. This Action Plan was developed using Gender-Based Analysis Plus in an effort to develop responsive measures that take into account the diversity of needs and realities.

For more information, consult the Action Plan web page at https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/combatting-hate.html.

SOURCE Canadian Heritage

The Bridge is a section of the STM Daily News Blog meant for diversity, offering real news stories about bona fide community efforts to perpetuate a greater good. The purpose of The Bridge is to connect the divides that separate us, fostering understanding and empathy among different groups. By highlighting positive initiatives and inspirational actions, The Bridge aims to create a sense of unity and shared purpose. This section brings to light stories of individuals and organizations working tirelessly to promote inclusivity, equality, and mutual respect. Through these narratives, readers are encouraged to appreciate the richness of diverse perspectives and to participate actively in building stronger, more cohesive communities.

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The depth of animosity arising from a few incendiary words is hard to comprehend. Springfield, Ohio, is currently living through a nightmare. The city has been branded by unfounded claims recently. These claims come from former President Donald Trump and his running mate, J.D. Vance. Baseless allegations have unleashed a wave of bigotry and fear. Notably, claims that Haitian immigrants are killing and eating pets are part of these allegations. The fallout has been catastrophic: bomb threats, school closures, and a community gripped by anxiety and distrust.

Springfield, Ohio

The recent segment of PBS News Hour featured correspondent William Brangham and Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck. Upon reflection, it is clear that the situation is dire. Over 33 bomb threats have been reported, fueled by nothing more than inflammatory rhetoric. This has led to the local immigrant community living in a state of heightened fear. Brangham’s reporting echoes the voices of those who are suffering. One father is too frightened to be identified. He expressed how something as innocent as biking with his son in the park has become too risky. His fear shows how hateful narratives affect real life. These narratives have turned his everyday life into a continuous cycle of fear.

Bryan Heck openly discussed Springfield’s challenges resulting from national rhetoric. He lamented how the city is now caught in a political maelstrom, struggling against a tide of false claims that distort the reality of their immigrant population. The Haitian residents are not criminals or a burden; they contribute to the local economy and enrich the community they now call home. The irony is striking: those who have come to Springfield in search of a better life are being scapegoated instead.

It pains me to see that bigotry seems to be given a free pass in this situation. Hate groups have capitalized on the misinformation, which has allowed rhetoric previously relegated to the fringes to seep into the mainstream. This past week, Springfield residents found flyers from the KKK labeling Haitian immigrants as “disease-ridden and filthy.” No one should ever feel unsafe in their own community due to identity or race. The presence of such open hate should spur outrage and action, not silence.

While I’ve noticed some pockets of pushback, including televised town meetings where members of the Haitian community, as well as Alden Clark’s family, have voiced their concerns, I struggle to understand why more isn’t being done. Why is Senator J.D. Vance, who represents Ohio, putting the city—and its residents—through this turmoil? It feels disheartening to consider that someone in power would employ such harmful tactics simply for political gain, with little regard for the truth or the people affected.

I also think of Philomene Philostin, a local pastor who runs a grocery store serving the Haitian community. She articulated the frustrating reality of being dehumanized in the midst of personally contributing to Springfield’s cultural tapestry. “Why do they not see the good things the Haitian community has done?” she asked, resonating with the many who feel overshadowed by the noise of hatred. To these families, Springfield has not just been a destination; it has been a hope-filled future built through hard work and community.

The narratives being constructed around Haitian immigrants in Springfield are deliberate, dangerous, and deeply misleading. There are no credible reports of pets being harmed; those assertions have simply been fabricated to foster fear. Health data from Clark County indicates that the influx of Haitian immigrants has not correlated with increased disease or crime; in fact, health officials reported that communicable diseases largely decreased between 2022 and 2023. Vance’s claims about heightened crime have been dismissed as political posturing, leaving residents to wonder why their lives are in turmoil over fabrications.

This isn’t just about Springfield. It’s about how society addresses bigotry at large. How often do we allow lies and stereotypes to dictate our discourse? The danger is exacerbated when no one—neither leadership nor community—stands up to challenge these woefully inaccurate assertions. It’s a reflection of our larger societal issues regarding race, immigration, and compassion.

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As we continue to navigate this crisis, my hope is that the voices of truth and understanding will prevail over hate. We must demand more from our leaders, push back against the tide of misinformation, and work toward fostering an inclusive community where fear and divisiveness have no place. Springfield, a town with so much potential, deserves a future built on unity and respect rather than division and fear. It’s time for everyone to step up, confront these lies head-on, and support the rich diversity that makes our communities strong.

For further reading, check out these links:

https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/springfield-ohio-consequences-gop-lies-still-linger-rcna173475

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-life-in-springfield-has-been-disrupted-by-lies-about-its-haitian-community

The Bridge is a section of the STM Daily News Blog meant for diversity, offering real news stories about bona fide community efforts to perpetuate a greater good. The purpose of The Bridge is to connect the divides that separate us, fostering understanding and empathy among different groups. By highlighting positive initiatives and inspirational actions, The Bridge aims to create a sense of unity and shared purpose. This section brings to light stories of individuals and organizations working tirelessly to promote inclusivity, equality, and mutual respect. Through these narratives, readers are encouraged to appreciate the richness of diverse perspectives and to participate actively in building stronger, more cohesive communities.

https://stmdailynews.com/the-bridge

STM Daily News is a vibrant news blog dedicated to sharing the brighter side of human experiences. Emphasizing positive, uplifting stories, the site focuses on delivering inspiring, informative, and well-researched content. With a commitment to accurate, fair, and responsible journalism, STM Daily News aims to foster a community of readers passionate about positive change and engaged in meaningful conversations. Join the movement and explore stories that celebrate the positive impacts shaping our world.

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