three women's sports stories that should be getting more attention
plus, climbers with palestine!
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Today I wanted to highlight three stories from women’s sports that should be getting more visibility than they are. Also, rock climbers took action in solidarity with Palestine and Lebanon, demanding an end to the ongoing genocide in the region.
1. The San Diego Wave and NWSL are being sued by former employees.
At Defector, Diana Moskovitz and Lesley Ryder (one half of Gal Pal Sports) break down the lawsuit, which has not gotten much coverage from women’s soccer media. According to Defector:
Five former Wave employees—all women—filed a lawsuit against both the Wave and the NWSL in San Diego Superior Court. The lawsuit asserts 15 claims, including disability discrimination, racial discrimination, sexual harassment, failure to investigate and prevent discrimination and harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and retaliating for engaging in protected activity. Overall, it portrays the Wave in stark contrast to the club’s marketing as a sports team that would be more than just a sports team and with a highly accomplished woman in charge.
Given the significance of the allegations, the relative lack of discussion from outlets and media members who cover the league is, frankly, baffling. One of the plaintiffs is Brittany Alvarado, a former Wave employee who went public about her experiences back in July and was subsequently sued by head coach Jill Ellis for defamation.
Ryder and her wife (and other half of Gal Pal Sports), Emily Anderson, discussed the lack of coverage of the lawsuit on their podcast, Football is Wife.
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2. Pro softball players aren’t getting paid.
Players in the Texas-based Women’s Professional Fastpitch (WPF) league have been speaking out about what they say is breach of contract. According to statements posted by several athletes on social media, they’re not getting compensated for money they signed contracts for, the league had no medical insurance, players didn’t have stable housing during the season, and there was no stability in practice fields or weight rooms. Players from the Hub City Adelitas and the Coastal Bend Tidal Wave have said they haven’t been paid the money that was promised them for the season, despite it ending almost two months ago.
After Adelitas player Ciara Bryan posted her experience to Instagram, her teammate Blaise Biringer shared a statement in support of Bryan and signed by the entire Adelitas team.
“Despite our diligent efforts and numerous attempts to resolve the matter amicably, the monetary obligations outlined in our individual contracts have not been met,” the statement read. “Many athletes have left the summer 2024 WPF season with less than 25% of the contracted deal… The situation is not only disappointing financially to us, but also deeply affected our team’s operations and performance. We rarely had a field to practice on. Several athletes spent the season sleeping on coaches or scrunched in teammates’ beds. Some couldn’t afford groceries.”
Madison Huskey, who has played for the Athletes Unlimited softball league, noted that these athletes are independent contractors which means they have “little to no negotiating power, no benefits like health insurance, child care, etc.”
3. The surfing pro tour is putting its lone queer athlete in danger.
Earlier this month, the World Surf League (WSL) announced their 2025 schedule that includes a wave pool in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. There is currently one out athlete on tour, Tyler Wright. Tyler wears the pride flag on her jersey, is married to her wife, and her queerness is punishable by death in UAE. Surfing also just had a huge breakout moment at the Paris Olympics this summer, where Tyler competed.
Tyler's wife and family are using social media posts and comments to demand a response from the WSL.
“Unfortunately homosexuality is illegal at one of the locations and my wife can legally be sentenced to death or imprisonment if she tries to attend,” Wright’s wife, Lilli Baker, wrote on Instagram. “Tyler has competed on this tour for over 14 years and has had the pride flag on her jersey since 2020. Even after winning 2 world titles she is still not valued enough by the WSL to be considered when they sold this event. WSL have the duty of care to their athletes to not put them in potentially life threatening circumstances like this.”
There's a dire need for an athlete's union, the WSL is the only show in town, has all the power and athletes and commentators are expected to tow the line or face consequences.
The lack of structures to organize against this and protect Tyler in this situation is a major issue. The WSL applies for all the awards and rides the hype of pay equity but when you scratch the surface their support for women and especially queer athletes falls apart. There are not an equal number of men and women on the tours, thus limiting the opportunities for women— this is despite the fact that big wave women surfers (many of whom were queer) risked their careers to get access and pay equity (even though the WSL has tried to claim it was their idea all along).
ALSO: Rock Climbers hung a ‘Stop The Genocide’ banner atop an iconic New York cliff
The Shawangunk Mountains, commonly referred to by rock climbers as the Gunks, was the site of a demonstration this weekend against the ongoing genocide in Palestine and Lebanon. From atop the cliff, a diverse coalition of rock climbers hung a large banner with their demand, “STOP THE GENOCIDE,” visible from the road to onlookers during one of the busiest foliage weekends of year.
The group, Climbers With Palestine, represents a coalition of climbers with the shared goal of demanding an immediate ceasefire and the cessation of all U.S. military aid to Israel’s illegal genocide in Palestine and Lebanon. The group also aims to connect struggles for return of Indigenous land and climate justice in the US, which outdoor access organizations are increasingly focused on, and the need to end the occupation of Palestinian land.
“As climbers and people, we have a responsibility to the wellbeing of the lands we recreate and live on—and to the Indigenous stewards of these lands who have faced violent dispossession and genocide,” said climber Alli Finn.
“These fights for land and climate justice extend across borders and are intimately connected to liberation in Palestine. It is our tax dollars, our elected representatives, and US-made weapons that enable the Israeli genocide in Gaza, the war on Lebanon, and the destruction and theft of land, home, and environment within and beyond the region. Today and everyday we demand: this must end.”