Ugh. I’m so sorry you, Chanda and everyone experienced that. This is heartbreaking. I hope Clark speaks up and out more effectively and immediately. In Euro soccer, players walk off the pitch when fans are racist towards their teammates. That’s what the she and the Fever should do next time. Address their fans.
I mean it took years and they don’t all do it but currently yes, many do especially in countries where fans are super racist. It’s really nice to see and educational for the fans.
There is no excuse for Clark's relative quietness on the matter. She needs to make a clear and authoritative statement on all her social media accounts ASAP (and not via stories that disappear!). And that's just the bare minimum.
But this exact thing happened at the Liberty game I went to last night - men behind me were shouting misogynistic and racist things at the Lynx players. Why are Liberty players not expected to speak out against them? Probably because they don't know them, and they didn't know this happened. Why is Caitlin being held to such a higher standard? Why is it assumed she knows everything that's happened and is responsible for everyone's behavior? We saw her call out a fan who was insulting her and her teammates. I'm sure if she saw these other fans, she would've called them out as well. I was at the same game as Frankie and didn't see who they were talking about, nor did I feel unsafe (and I'm a visibly queer person like them.)
I don't say this to downplay anything these players have experienced, but only to say that placing the individual load on Caitlin is essentially scapegoating her for a much wider issue - it feels like people want to blame her, to put her in a category of "bad white person" to avoid addressing their own complicity in the overall racism that's always existed in the league. Especially as everyone seems to want her to speak on social media, which is not all that effective seeing as the nature of algorithms means that a lot of people won't even see her post. The most important thing is actual action taken to protect these players. Caitlin has already made it clear she doesn't agree with any of this happening.
I want to say that I don’t think the onus here is on Caitlin as a person or an individual—this is a larger, league and systemic problem. One thing I want to clarify because I see it being used to say that Clark did speak up during that game: I’ve confirmed with five sources (including some team sources) that the fan Clark pointed to told her to stop whining after a call. He didn’t say anything personal or related to anyone’s identity, which is why he was ultimately allowed to remain at the game and in his seat. I don’t think that changes any larger points around where the problem lies.
He called her and her teammates "c*nts" - I was right near him, and I think it's clear based on Lyss' reaction when she told her what happened on the broadcast that it wasn't just "stop whining." If she kicked out anyone who told her to stop whining in a game, she'd have to kick out... a lot of people, lol. Obviously that remark doesn't have a racial component, so it's definitely not as bad as what other players have received, but it is identity-based in the way it's misogynistic. I think him being allowed back to his seat more speaks to the league not really seeing that kind of insult as that big of a deal. It's actually alarming that anyone would say that she was just told to stop whining - I'm not sure if it's just that's what he told security, or if they were trying to downplay the situation.
And my apologies for misconstruing you putting the blame on Caitlin individually - I just thought that's what the commenter was saying, and saw that you liked the comment.
Just to start by stating my social location: I am a white, queer, non-binary person. My comment addressed Caitlin Clark specifically because this post was about the change in atmosphere that is correlated with racist Clark fans following the league and attending games. I do not think Clark herself individually is to blame for the racism and misogynoir that exists in the league, in media coverage of the league, in fans' actions, etc. I never suggested that "she knows everything that's happened and is responsible for everyone's behavior." Obviously I understand that Clark is not responsible for the behaviors of anyone but herself. I don't think she is to blame for the racism, misogynoir, and anti-gayness being spouted from people who identify as fans of hers. I also do not think social media posts are The Answer to solving oppression; they are just one avenue to push back, plant seeds, etc. I said her making a statement on social media was bare minimum because it is an extremely easy thing for her to do and something that is fully within her control.
What I do think Clark is responsible for is being more clear and fervent in her anti-racist praxis. Demanding better anti-racist praxis from white people is not scapegoating. If I was an extremely famous person who was cis, white, and heterosexual and I found out people who claimed to be fans of me were attacking my Black women coworkers (many of whom are gay), I would be very clear that I do not consider anyone who does that a fan of mine. I would talk about white supremacy, racism, misogynoir, anti-gayness whenever possible to try to educate any of my fans who haven't thought about those issues before. I was not impressed earlier in the season when Clark was asked about her name being weaponized in non-sports topics and she said “It’s not something I can control. … And to be honest, I don’t see a lot of it.” and “People can talk about what they want to talk about. … I’m just here to play basketball.” I think DiJonai Carrington was right to call her out in a Tweet that said: "Dawg. How one can not be bothered by their name being used to justify racism, bigotry, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia & the intersectionalities of them all is nuts. We all see the sh*t. We all have a platform. We all have a voice & they all hold weight. Silence is a luxury."
News articles were written about her comments, so what Clark says does reach beyond social media and it would be the bare minimum for her to take an opportunity like that to say "I don't condone people using my name to push their racist, misogynoiristic, anti-gay agendas. Anyone who is racist, misogynoiristic, or anti-gay is not a true fan of mine. My colleagues deserve the utmost respect and it is disgusting and shameful that people are targeting them and I hate that they are using my name to do so." I realize Clark said something more later after Carrington's tweet when a reporter followed up, but I think her initial response is telling. It shows she has some growth to do around using her privilege to speak up whenever possible.
I don't think one individual or even lots of individuals making statements against racism or anti-gayness will end racism or anti-gayness, to be clear. And, I think she should be saying more and being more clear about it, like Paige Bueckers and Cameron Brink have done, for example. From what I understand, Bueckers does not get the same type of racist, conservative people worshiping her all over the internet that Clark does. I think part of the reason for that is because Bueckers has spoken up about racism multiple times. And she used her ESPYs speech to name her white privilege and call out media and sponsors for not celebrating Black women basketball players to the same degree they do white players.
Obviously these issues are way bigger than Caitlin Clark. I want whatever is necessary to be done to protect players, a lot of which needs to come from league, franchise, and arena practices. I simply think that white people have a responsibility to do all we can to push back against white supremacy, racism, misogynoir, etc and I would like to see Clark grow in this regard.
See, this is where your response feels disingenous. You say that Clark should be more clear in her anti-racist praxis. I agree with this, but this is true of all white people - including Paige Bueckers and Cameron Brink. Paige made her speech 4 years ago, but has not been vocal since - she's even been directly asked about her "activism", and has sort of skirted the question, not specifically talking about anti-racism. The current perception of her on WNBA Twitter as an active antiracist is because a video of her from 4 years ago has been circulated. What she said in the video is an exact sentiment Clark herself has said several times - why it hasn't been circulated, I don't know. I do know that UConn fans sent Gabbie Marshall death threats, and Paige never spoke nor was asked to speak on their behavior. UConn fans actually have a long history of racism (look up comments any time they've played South Carolina), and those players have never been asked to speak out against the fans. The same can be said for Cameron Brink. The extent of her "antiracism" has been saying "white people have privilege sometimes." Beyond that, she has given the same exact answer that Clark gave initially when asked about the drama of the season - that the best thing they can do is focus on what's happening on the court. She also has never called out fans directly, I'd also state that their actions don't always match their words - for example, Paige spoke to the inequities in media coverage. However, she doesn't seem to exactly be turning down media coverage. Whereas, we have seen Clark make a concerted effort to expand media coverage to other players in practice. I don't bring these things up to criticize any individual player, and to play to whataboutism, but only to ask why the standards are so different for different players. If you are asking Clark to consistently speak out against racism, I maintain you should ask the same of all white players, and all white people for that matter. I think it's totally fair to want her to be more antiracist - I would like that too, as I would like that from all white people, but that is a bit different than what your initial comment said. Saying that someone has work to do is a bit different than "there's no excuse for this and they should post immediately on social media." Calling in vs. calling out, you know? The reason I said it was scapegoating was because that was your biggest takeaway from the whole situation - that Caitlin needed to post on social media, when in reality the situation is much larger than her and she is also a victim of it. To act like Paige and Cameron wouldn't be used in the same way she is if they were as popular, and perhaps even more so because Cam is much more conventionally feminine, I feel shows that you may not understand racism and antiracism as much as you claim.
I would also say that the reason Paige or Cameron don't have right wingers latched on to them is simply because they aren't as popular as Clark. While you may not feel it's "enough," she has made it clear multiple times that she doesn't agree with the sentiments of those people, and has said they shouldn't use her. Basically, what you said she should say is verbatim what she has said a couple of different times in press. So it's not that people have latched on to her because they share her political views, like say, a Sophie Cunningham.
To that point, I disagree with you that Caitlin Clark's "first response is telling." It's clear that if you watched that presser where she was asked that question, she really didn't understand what he was talking about. The phrasing of the question was unclear, which is evident by the fact that he had an entire pre-written based on what he clearly hoped her answer may be. That may speak to her privilege, that she's able to tune out the noise, but I don't think it speaks to bad intention. The second reporter, who asked the question where she vehemently pushed back, specifically stated that he asked his question of his own volition, that she did not even know she was being interviewed so I don't think it was any type of damage control on her part - I think she was literally just asked a more direct question. But even if we want to say Dijonai's tweet IS what caused her to be more direct...I'm struggling to see the issue with that? That sounds like she saw that her first answer caused harm, and then she remedied the situation. Is that not what you're asking her to do?
I think it's very easy for us on the outside to say what these players should do, as we are constantly discoursing about it, but I think it's important to remember that Caitlin's intentions are focused on her team and her teammates, and that she is likely much more concerned with people an ally to them in real life than on making social media statements. For example, if we were coworkers and someone started attacking me in your name, I would much rather you check in with me in person, rather than making public statements that "you don't agree with those people." Allyship is about a lot more than just making it clear to people on the internet that you're an ally.
I followed up because I saw the c*unts rumor on social media and wanted to confirm. As I said, I had five sources say the same thing, including multiple fans who were seated near him which I confirmed by seeing their tickets.
The statement given to me by the team said: “The fan was not escorted out of the game. Security met with him back of house, deemed that he did not violate the WNBA code of conduct policy, and he was returned to his seat.”
I only know what my reporting found. I know Clark dealt with a lot this season from all directions and I have no desire to downplay that. I hope she can get some rest and take care of herself this offseason.
Well I only know what I witnessed in person, and it is what I said. He was calling her and her teammates c*nts, and laughing about it with the people around him. I've also heard from others he said things like "I hope you break your neck." Apparently he told security "I don't know why she got upset all I said was stop whining." Crazy to imagine a man who was calling a 22 year old a c*nt would lie I know, but that's what happened to my understanding. I don't really understand why you can make the logical leap that Indiana fans were going to riot, but can't make the leap that maybe the man lied to security and the fans you talked to (who, if they're like the ones interviewed in this piece, seem to be an Anti-Clark crowd) maybe didn't hear everything he said. Again, people scream at Clark to stop whining every basketball game (surely you saw the Hoosier fan during the college season holding up a phone with a picture communicating this very sentiment on the broadcast), and I've watched pretty much every game she's played in and has never asked anyone be ejected like that.
I didn't even bring this up to say she needs any sort of pity or anything like that, only to point out that clearly she will call people out on her teammates' behalf - even her behavior with refs backs this up. This, coupled with the fact she's done things like advocate for spot bonuses for players, I think disproves the self-centered narrative everyone in the media seems to like to portray. It definitely has never come across in your writing that you think that Clark has experienced anything other than too much media coverage, so it is nice to hear you're also concerned for her mental well-being. I suspect she'll be very active in CBA negotiations, so it would be nice for all the players if she's in a good head space.
I just wanted to say I'm sorry you felt unsafe at this game, and just wanted to share my experience of attending the Liberty series, where this same behavior has occurred - when Caitlin was nowhere in sight. I think this is a much larger issue that must be nipped in the bud.
CC did ask the ref to address a particular fan, but I didn't ever see what he said to cause her to do that. I'm a little surprised that wasn't mentioned -- does anyone know the rest of that story?
It hasn’t been reported yet—that’s actually what I’ve been working on trying to report out. I do know what was said but need to make sure my sourcing is right enough to report it publicly. What I will say is that the fan was allowed back to his seat, which should tell you at least something.
(Asking out of genuine curiosity. I watched from home -- it was a great game, and I don't want stupid horrible people to ruin it. I hate that this is happening)
Ugh. I’m so sorry you, Chanda and everyone experienced that. This is heartbreaking. I hope Clark speaks up and out more effectively and immediately. In Euro soccer, players walk off the pitch when fans are racist towards their teammates. That’s what the she and the Fever should do next time. Address their fans.
That's awesome; I love that they walk off the pitch!
I mean it took years and they don’t all do it but currently yes, many do especially in countries where fans are super racist. It’s really nice to see and educational for the fans.
Exactly!
There is no excuse for Clark's relative quietness on the matter. She needs to make a clear and authoritative statement on all her social media accounts ASAP (and not via stories that disappear!). And that's just the bare minimum.
But this exact thing happened at the Liberty game I went to last night - men behind me were shouting misogynistic and racist things at the Lynx players. Why are Liberty players not expected to speak out against them? Probably because they don't know them, and they didn't know this happened. Why is Caitlin being held to such a higher standard? Why is it assumed she knows everything that's happened and is responsible for everyone's behavior? We saw her call out a fan who was insulting her and her teammates. I'm sure if she saw these other fans, she would've called them out as well. I was at the same game as Frankie and didn't see who they were talking about, nor did I feel unsafe (and I'm a visibly queer person like them.)
I don't say this to downplay anything these players have experienced, but only to say that placing the individual load on Caitlin is essentially scapegoating her for a much wider issue - it feels like people want to blame her, to put her in a category of "bad white person" to avoid addressing their own complicity in the overall racism that's always existed in the league. Especially as everyone seems to want her to speak on social media, which is not all that effective seeing as the nature of algorithms means that a lot of people won't even see her post. The most important thing is actual action taken to protect these players. Caitlin has already made it clear she doesn't agree with any of this happening.
I want to say that I don’t think the onus here is on Caitlin as a person or an individual—this is a larger, league and systemic problem. One thing I want to clarify because I see it being used to say that Clark did speak up during that game: I’ve confirmed with five sources (including some team sources) that the fan Clark pointed to told her to stop whining after a call. He didn’t say anything personal or related to anyone’s identity, which is why he was ultimately allowed to remain at the game and in his seat. I don’t think that changes any larger points around where the problem lies.
He called her and her teammates "c*nts" - I was right near him, and I think it's clear based on Lyss' reaction when she told her what happened on the broadcast that it wasn't just "stop whining." If she kicked out anyone who told her to stop whining in a game, she'd have to kick out... a lot of people, lol. Obviously that remark doesn't have a racial component, so it's definitely not as bad as what other players have received, but it is identity-based in the way it's misogynistic. I think him being allowed back to his seat more speaks to the league not really seeing that kind of insult as that big of a deal. It's actually alarming that anyone would say that she was just told to stop whining - I'm not sure if it's just that's what he told security, or if they were trying to downplay the situation.
And my apologies for misconstruing you putting the blame on Caitlin individually - I just thought that's what the commenter was saying, and saw that you liked the comment.
Just to start by stating my social location: I am a white, queer, non-binary person. My comment addressed Caitlin Clark specifically because this post was about the change in atmosphere that is correlated with racist Clark fans following the league and attending games. I do not think Clark herself individually is to blame for the racism and misogynoir that exists in the league, in media coverage of the league, in fans' actions, etc. I never suggested that "she knows everything that's happened and is responsible for everyone's behavior." Obviously I understand that Clark is not responsible for the behaviors of anyone but herself. I don't think she is to blame for the racism, misogynoir, and anti-gayness being spouted from people who identify as fans of hers. I also do not think social media posts are The Answer to solving oppression; they are just one avenue to push back, plant seeds, etc. I said her making a statement on social media was bare minimum because it is an extremely easy thing for her to do and something that is fully within her control.
What I do think Clark is responsible for is being more clear and fervent in her anti-racist praxis. Demanding better anti-racist praxis from white people is not scapegoating. If I was an extremely famous person who was cis, white, and heterosexual and I found out people who claimed to be fans of me were attacking my Black women coworkers (many of whom are gay), I would be very clear that I do not consider anyone who does that a fan of mine. I would talk about white supremacy, racism, misogynoir, anti-gayness whenever possible to try to educate any of my fans who haven't thought about those issues before. I was not impressed earlier in the season when Clark was asked about her name being weaponized in non-sports topics and she said “It’s not something I can control. … And to be honest, I don’t see a lot of it.” and “People can talk about what they want to talk about. … I’m just here to play basketball.” I think DiJonai Carrington was right to call her out in a Tweet that said: "Dawg. How one can not be bothered by their name being used to justify racism, bigotry, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia & the intersectionalities of them all is nuts. We all see the sh*t. We all have a platform. We all have a voice & they all hold weight. Silence is a luxury."
News articles were written about her comments, so what Clark says does reach beyond social media and it would be the bare minimum for her to take an opportunity like that to say "I don't condone people using my name to push their racist, misogynoiristic, anti-gay agendas. Anyone who is racist, misogynoiristic, or anti-gay is not a true fan of mine. My colleagues deserve the utmost respect and it is disgusting and shameful that people are targeting them and I hate that they are using my name to do so." I realize Clark said something more later after Carrington's tweet when a reporter followed up, but I think her initial response is telling. It shows she has some growth to do around using her privilege to speak up whenever possible.
I don't think one individual or even lots of individuals making statements against racism or anti-gayness will end racism or anti-gayness, to be clear. And, I think she should be saying more and being more clear about it, like Paige Bueckers and Cameron Brink have done, for example. From what I understand, Bueckers does not get the same type of racist, conservative people worshiping her all over the internet that Clark does. I think part of the reason for that is because Bueckers has spoken up about racism multiple times. And she used her ESPYs speech to name her white privilege and call out media and sponsors for not celebrating Black women basketball players to the same degree they do white players.
Obviously these issues are way bigger than Caitlin Clark. I want whatever is necessary to be done to protect players, a lot of which needs to come from league, franchise, and arena practices. I simply think that white people have a responsibility to do all we can to push back against white supremacy, racism, misogynoir, etc and I would like to see Clark grow in this regard.
[Edited for grammar, missing a word "the"]
See, this is where your response feels disingenous. You say that Clark should be more clear in her anti-racist praxis. I agree with this, but this is true of all white people - including Paige Bueckers and Cameron Brink. Paige made her speech 4 years ago, but has not been vocal since - she's even been directly asked about her "activism", and has sort of skirted the question, not specifically talking about anti-racism. The current perception of her on WNBA Twitter as an active antiracist is because a video of her from 4 years ago has been circulated. What she said in the video is an exact sentiment Clark herself has said several times - why it hasn't been circulated, I don't know. I do know that UConn fans sent Gabbie Marshall death threats, and Paige never spoke nor was asked to speak on their behavior. UConn fans actually have a long history of racism (look up comments any time they've played South Carolina), and those players have never been asked to speak out against the fans. The same can be said for Cameron Brink. The extent of her "antiracism" has been saying "white people have privilege sometimes." Beyond that, she has given the same exact answer that Clark gave initially when asked about the drama of the season - that the best thing they can do is focus on what's happening on the court. She also has never called out fans directly, I'd also state that their actions don't always match their words - for example, Paige spoke to the inequities in media coverage. However, she doesn't seem to exactly be turning down media coverage. Whereas, we have seen Clark make a concerted effort to expand media coverage to other players in practice. I don't bring these things up to criticize any individual player, and to play to whataboutism, but only to ask why the standards are so different for different players. If you are asking Clark to consistently speak out against racism, I maintain you should ask the same of all white players, and all white people for that matter. I think it's totally fair to want her to be more antiracist - I would like that too, as I would like that from all white people, but that is a bit different than what your initial comment said. Saying that someone has work to do is a bit different than "there's no excuse for this and they should post immediately on social media." Calling in vs. calling out, you know? The reason I said it was scapegoating was because that was your biggest takeaway from the whole situation - that Caitlin needed to post on social media, when in reality the situation is much larger than her and she is also a victim of it. To act like Paige and Cameron wouldn't be used in the same way she is if they were as popular, and perhaps even more so because Cam is much more conventionally feminine, I feel shows that you may not understand racism and antiracism as much as you claim.
I would also say that the reason Paige or Cameron don't have right wingers latched on to them is simply because they aren't as popular as Clark. While you may not feel it's "enough," she has made it clear multiple times that she doesn't agree with the sentiments of those people, and has said they shouldn't use her. Basically, what you said she should say is verbatim what she has said a couple of different times in press. So it's not that people have latched on to her because they share her political views, like say, a Sophie Cunningham.
To that point, I disagree with you that Caitlin Clark's "first response is telling." It's clear that if you watched that presser where she was asked that question, she really didn't understand what he was talking about. The phrasing of the question was unclear, which is evident by the fact that he had an entire pre-written based on what he clearly hoped her answer may be. That may speak to her privilege, that she's able to tune out the noise, but I don't think it speaks to bad intention. The second reporter, who asked the question where she vehemently pushed back, specifically stated that he asked his question of his own volition, that she did not even know she was being interviewed so I don't think it was any type of damage control on her part - I think she was literally just asked a more direct question. But even if we want to say Dijonai's tweet IS what caused her to be more direct...I'm struggling to see the issue with that? That sounds like she saw that her first answer caused harm, and then she remedied the situation. Is that not what you're asking her to do?
I think it's very easy for us on the outside to say what these players should do, as we are constantly discoursing about it, but I think it's important to remember that Caitlin's intentions are focused on her team and her teammates, and that she is likely much more concerned with people an ally to them in real life than on making social media statements. For example, if we were coworkers and someone started attacking me in your name, I would much rather you check in with me in person, rather than making public statements that "you don't agree with those people." Allyship is about a lot more than just making it clear to people on the internet that you're an ally.
I followed up because I saw the c*unts rumor on social media and wanted to confirm. As I said, I had five sources say the same thing, including multiple fans who were seated near him which I confirmed by seeing their tickets.
The statement given to me by the team said: “The fan was not escorted out of the game. Security met with him back of house, deemed that he did not violate the WNBA code of conduct policy, and he was returned to his seat.”
I only know what my reporting found. I know Clark dealt with a lot this season from all directions and I have no desire to downplay that. I hope she can get some rest and take care of herself this offseason.
I also hope Clark is able to get the rest and receive the care she needs this offseason.
Well I only know what I witnessed in person, and it is what I said. He was calling her and her teammates c*nts, and laughing about it with the people around him. I've also heard from others he said things like "I hope you break your neck." Apparently he told security "I don't know why she got upset all I said was stop whining." Crazy to imagine a man who was calling a 22 year old a c*nt would lie I know, but that's what happened to my understanding. I don't really understand why you can make the logical leap that Indiana fans were going to riot, but can't make the leap that maybe the man lied to security and the fans you talked to (who, if they're like the ones interviewed in this piece, seem to be an Anti-Clark crowd) maybe didn't hear everything he said. Again, people scream at Clark to stop whining every basketball game (surely you saw the Hoosier fan during the college season holding up a phone with a picture communicating this very sentiment on the broadcast), and I've watched pretty much every game she's played in and has never asked anyone be ejected like that.
I didn't even bring this up to say she needs any sort of pity or anything like that, only to point out that clearly she will call people out on her teammates' behalf - even her behavior with refs backs this up. This, coupled with the fact she's done things like advocate for spot bonuses for players, I think disproves the self-centered narrative everyone in the media seems to like to portray. It definitely has never come across in your writing that you think that Clark has experienced anything other than too much media coverage, so it is nice to hear you're also concerned for her mental well-being. I suspect she'll be very active in CBA negotiations, so it would be nice for all the players if she's in a good head space.
I just wanted to say I'm sorry you felt unsafe at this game, and just wanted to share my experience of attending the Liberty series, where this same behavior has occurred - when Caitlin was nowhere in sight. I think this is a much larger issue that must be nipped in the bud.
CC did ask the ref to address a particular fan, but I didn't ever see what he said to cause her to do that. I'm a little surprised that wasn't mentioned -- does anyone know the rest of that story?
It hasn’t been reported yet—that’s actually what I’ve been working on trying to report out. I do know what was said but need to make sure my sourcing is right enough to report it publicly. What I will say is that the fan was allowed back to his seat, which should tell you at least something.
Thanks. I'll look forward to seeing your follow up!
(Asking out of genuine curiosity. I watched from home -- it was a great game, and I don't want stupid horrible people to ruin it. I hate that this is happening)