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Tally24



Joined: 14 Feb 2012
Posts: 2709
Location: Baton Rouge


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PostPosted: 04/05/21 9:23 pm    ::: Calling All Fans (Help on a grad paper)! Reply Reply with quote

Hello, wonderful posters of Rebkell. I am currently an English PhD student at LSU. I am working on a paper for a political rhetoric class, and I am focusing on the WNBA and the activism of players (mostly during the 2020 season, but also from prior seasons).

I am attaching a link to my proposal, which is not necessary to read, but is there just in case you are curious. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DoEb8idJ02OELoAF9PZ2XQ7Q52CIyd9D/edit

I was hoping to get posters to answer a few questions and share any sources that might be of use for my paper. Also, feel free to take a stab at any of the research questions I pose in my proposal! Wink

1. When did you become a fan of the league? What was that experience like; how did it happen?

2. When did you notice the shift in marketing that embraced queer fans, rather than ignored them? What triggered this shift?

3. There is a source that mentions a kiss-in organized by Liberty fans in 2002. I found a few articles talking about it, but I want more. I know we have life-long Liberty fans here (Queenie, I am looking at you) and I was hoping to get a more through account.

4. How did you feel about the activism of the WNBA players during the 2020 season? Do you think their physical location contributed to the success they had, if you think they did succeed?

I have a lot more that I am curious about, but I am on a pretty tight deadline. I would really appreciate any and all participation because it is likely that this becomes a publishable piece. If you feel more comfortable discussing these things in a more private setting, shoot me a PM. My email is tshoem3@lsu.edu if that is your preferred method of contact.

Thanks in advance to anyone who partakes, I really appreciate it.
Queenie



Joined: 18 Nov 2004
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PostPosted: 04/05/21 9:34 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

oh god no don't look at me DON'T LOOK AT ME

In all seriousness, regarding point 3, there are certain things I was spectacularly oblivious to in high school, and the kiss-in was one of them. I was aware that there was a Lesbians for Liberty fan group, because they had banners, but either the kiss-in was at one of the games I had to miss (stupid prom, I didn't even *want* to go to prom, stupid graduation) or I was not paying attention.



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Bob Lamm



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PostPosted: 04/05/21 10:03 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Dear Tally 24,

I've sent you an e-mail about your paper.

Bob



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undersized_post



Joined: 01 Mar 2021
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PostPosted: 04/05/21 10:54 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

This is an amazing idea for a paper!

I'm just becoming a fan of the league. I've followed the college game for a while but am wanting to start watching more WNBA games. One of the things I've always admired about the league from afar is how progressive it is compared to other pro-sports regarding gender, race, and queerness. I can't speak to any of your points more specifically except to say that the queer aspect is something that has drawn me to the league in general.


bluedevilaztecfan5



Joined: 16 Mar 2010
Posts: 796
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PostPosted: 04/05/21 11:20 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Great paper topic Tally!

Activism, queerness, and the WNBA šŸ™ŒšŸ½

If Iā€™ve learned anything this past year, itā€™s that our voices have strength and I for one will continue to use mine!


Stormeo



Joined: 14 Jul 2019
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PostPosted: 04/06/21 2:22 am    ::: Re: Calling All Fans (Help on a grad paper)! Reply Reply with quote

Tally24 wrote:
1. When did you become a fan of the league? What was that experience like; how did it happen?


2004. The Storm's first championship-winning season were some of my earliest sports memories in general. I can still see the green, yellow, and silver confetti falling from the rafters. My dad would take me to games here & there. But of course we went to all the playoff games that year. Very Happy

Tally24 wrote:
2. When did you notice the shift in marketing that embraced queer fans, rather than ignored them? What triggered this shift?


Can't put an exact date on it (I didn't have a moment where it really felt like the League crossed the threshold of sorts with supporting their LGBTQ fans), but maybe just within the past three-four years? Honestly, I feel like it was sometime during the Trump presidency when things became hyper-politicized. This is just me talking here, but it kind of felt like the players who were already anti-Trump (in a general sense) started embracing everything he & Republicans were outwardly against. When the more notable straight players started getting on board (imo Skylar Diggins-Smith is one of them), I think it helped with building that momentum. And then all of these different players started "coming out" ā€“ not necessarily by way of announcement (though EDD's marriage I feel like was a big one, followed by Sue Bird & her openness), but I guess just being more public about their private lives like that? Idk. Someone can let me know if some of this is completely off. Laughing

Tally24 wrote:
4. How did you feel about the activism of the WNBA players during the 2020 season? Do you think their physical location contributed to the success they had, if you think they did succeed?

For the first question: Personally, I fall in line with & support all of their activism, so I'm super proud of them for creating change. šŸ˜­ I did wonder if it would affect their viewership (if a lot of people that wouldn't necessarily support the causes they were championing), and how it'll affect future attendance, but I think it turned out fine this past year, and shouldn't at least negatively affect attendance going forward. That being said, I do wish the League itself would prioritize marketing the players' talent as much as they market them as being "strong, fierce women". People may come to support women playing sports, but imo they'll be more likely to both come & stay if they see the talent that these players have. Games are genuinely exciting to watch because of their talent.

For the second question: I don't think their physical location really contributed to their success ā€“ they had their moments (like taking one big group picture together all wearing the BLM shirts, and taking those couple games off to come together in spite of the Jacob Blake shooting), but so much of things have become virtualized now, that their ability to conduct interviews/podcasts and also send out viral tweets imo were much more effective in creating change. I also don't know how much had to be conducted in-person as opposed to just picking up the phone & calling/texting someone (such as coordinating to get those Vote Warnock shirts).


root_thing



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PostPosted: 04/06/21 11:58 am    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Growing up, my family watched the Olympics almost religiously. Consequently, the habit continued for me well into my adult years. Thatā€™s how I first started watching womenā€™s basketball. After awhile, I became familiar with some of the players, so that drew me to the WNBA when it started. I was a casual fan who followed as long as there were network TV games. Not being a huge television watcher, I didnā€™t have cable. Once the games disappeared from network TV, I mostly (but not entirely) stopped following the league. I returned in 2006 when the WNBA started their own streaming service. They hadn't started producing telecasts at that point -- just picking up local broadcasts, whether over-the-air or cable. As a New York fan, that was good enough for me. All Liberty games were carried on MSG at that time, and none were blacked out. So, I got to watch all of my team's games as well as a number of offerings from around the league.

I have to admit, being straight I never paid much attention to the marketing for LGBTQ fans. I noticed it happening, but I never made note of it in terms of time or volume. If I had to guess, it seems to have picked up more in NY over the last 5-6 years.

As far as activism goes, thatā€™s a complicated one for me. For the most part, I support all the causes that the WNBA and its players promote. However, Iā€™m not crazy about the idea of mixing politics with sports. There have to be areas in society where we put our differences aside and celebrate what we have in common. Sports is one of them -- as are food and most forms of entertainment. Itā€™s easy for someone whose politics lean left to love what the WNBA is doing. However, what if the players were to take up conservative causes? A lot of these players are religious. If you watch them in interviews or read their social media pages, people are always thanking God. What if next yearā€™s cause took on a pro-life, anti-abortion theme? What if they started campaigning in favor of school prayer? Would liberal fans still be as enthusiastic? I happen to know what itā€™s like to be at the other end of political intrusion. In the business world, there are a lot of conservative, pro-Trump writers and analysts. I used to belong to an investment service where the writer was conservative. It never bothered me the first three years because he rarely made political comments. However, once the COVID lockdown began, he went full-out political. His daily articles began with a rant accusing people who went along with the lockdown of being weak-minded sheep, brainwashed by Democratic and liberal press propaganda. He quoted what he considered to be low infection rates, never mentioning that these were the numbers after extraordinary measures were already taken. It got to the point where I couldnā€™t stomach him anymore. I let the subscription run out even though the man was a good securities analyst. So, I can see how sports fans would leave because of the politics. Not only would they leave, but they would feel greater anger and resentment toward the other side for forcing them to give up an activity they loved, something that previously occupied so much of their time. I certainly support the right of players to express political opinions outside of basketball. Iā€™m also fine with the league taking stances on various issues. But during games, I just think itā€™s too much in-your-face insulting for people who have opposing views. Ultimately, I believe the practice has a divisive effect on our country.



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MuneravenMN
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PostPosted: 04/06/21 1:37 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Casually followed the league at inception but didn't really become a die-hard fan until I moved to the Twin Cities during the Katie Smith years of the Lynx. Persevered through the grim years of Seimone and little else to cheer about. It paid off.

Lesbians were such a big part of Minnesota Lynx fandom that you couldn't miss them if you tried. Boomer lesbians were THE faithful fans during the lean years. I remember feeling annoyed that they were sort of ignored by the league, these women a bit older than me always decked out in Lynx gear. Like the league wanted their cash but then wanted them to not be noticed. I'm queer, too, but somehow it hurt me more for these women ten or so years older than me who had been waiting SO long for a pro women's team.

Activism. Women have always been at the forefront of societal change and, what, we are supposed to pretend that queer people are treated the same and Black people don't get hassled in MLPS more and women get a fair shot all the time and so on? I was relieved when the league and, more importantly, the players started speaking out about the issues we face.

(Fun fact: Just a couple days after gay marriage was nationally legal, I got married on the court after the Lynx game. We'd been together for a long time and our kids were grown, but it still felt surreal. I felt faint and had to sit down during the ceremony, lol. I shared wedding cake with other fans! Our marriage certificate is signed by our STH rep! So, yeah, activism for the win.)



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undersized_post



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PostPosted: 04/06/21 1:44 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

MuneravenMN wrote:
(Fun fact: Just a couple days after gay marriage was nationally legal, I got married on the court after the Lynx game. We'd been together for a long time and our kids were grown, but it still felt surreal. I felt faint and had to sit down during the ceremony, lol. I shared wedding cake with other fans! Our marriage certificate is signed by our STH rep! So, yeah, activism for the win.)

My heart <3 <3 <3 Congratulations, albeit many years belated.


ClayK



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PostPosted: 04/06/21 4:13 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

I covered the league from the start, going to the Monarchs' games.

I criticized the league early on for not acknowledging that a significant percentage of players were gay, and publicizing every straight player it could -- especially those with children. Of course part of this was the players' choices, as it was a different time, and many gay players, it seemed to me, did not want to come out.

Still, I thought and wrote that the league should step forward and embrace a progressive cause in the early 2000s.

The Liberty were at the forefront, but most franchises and the league as a whole did not mention lesbian players or lesbian fans for many years.

In the last few seasons -- and most notably last year -- the WNBA finally stepped forward and became a voice for progressive causes, for which it deserves much credit.

I do believe, though, that the present praise doesn't really take into account the reluctance of the league to do so much earlier.



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Bob Lamm



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PostPosted: 04/06/21 4:17 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

undersized_post wrote:
MuneravenMN wrote:
(Fun fact: Just a couple days after gay marriage was nationally legal, I got married on the court after the Lynx game. We'd been together for a long time and our kids were grown, but it still felt surreal. I felt faint and had to sit down during the ceremony, lol. I shared wedding cake with other fans! Our marriage certificate is signed by our STH rep! So, yeah, activism for the win.)


My heart <3 <3 <3 Congratulations, albeit many years belated.


So wonderful to read this, MuneravenMN. Thanks so much for sharing it. I love that your marriage certificate is signed by your STH rep! As undersized_post has, you have my belated congratulations. This is the world I want to live in.



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Bob Lamm



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PostPosted: 04/06/21 4:21 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

ClayK wrote:
I covered the league from the start, going to the Monarchs' games.

I criticized the league early on for not acknowledging that a significant percentage of players were gay, and publicizing every straight player it could -- especially those with children. Of course part of this was the players' choices, as it was a different time, and many gay players, it seemed to me, did not want to come out.

Still, I thought and wrote that the league should step forward and embrace a progressive cause in the early 2000s.

The Liberty were at the forefront, but most franchises and the league as a whole did not mention lesbian players or lesbian fans for many years.

In the last few seasons -- and most notably last year -- the WNBA finally stepped forward and became a voice for progressive causes, for which it deserves much credit.

I do believe, though, that the present praise doesn't really take into account the reluctance of the league to do so much earlier.


It's great that you spoke out on this issue way back when. The way that the WNBA used to handle having many lesbian players and many lesbian fans was terrible. As a New Yorker, I'm not convinced that the Liberty was in the forefront in those years. I know that there were dedicated lesbian fans who stopped coming to Liberty games because of the ways the WNBA wanted their existence kept secret. I'm thrilled that the league is now so courageous on Black Lives Matter issues, Say Her Name issues, feminist issues, and LGBTQ+ issues.



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Remember Roe v. Wade. Work for and support legal abortion all over the world and full reproductive rights for everyone.


Last edited by Bob Lamm on 04/06/21 4:31 pm; edited 2 times in total
Bob Lamm



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PostPosted: 04/06/21 4:30 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

I posted this years ago; I'm reposting it because many active on this board today may never have seen it.

In 2000, Alisa Solomon, an outstanding journalist, was covering the New York Liberty for the Village Voice. At that time, Sue Wicks of the Liberty was the only out lesbian in the WNBA. Solomon asked Wicks about the league's "squeamishness" regarding its lesbian players and noted that Wicks was one of the few players in the league willing to discuss that issue.

When asked about the number of lesbian players in the WNBA, Wicks replied: "I can't say how many are gay, but it would be easier to count the straight ones." Many of those working at the time for the WNBA and for the Liberty must have gone nuts seeing that great public statement.

You can read more of what Wicks said here:

https://www.villagevoice.com/2000/08/08/sue-wickss-forward-behavior/



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bluedevilaztecfan5



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PostPosted: 04/06/21 6:31 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

root_thing wrote:

As far as activism goes, thatā€™s a complicated one for me. For the most part, I support all the causes that the WNBA and its players promote. However, Iā€™m not crazy about the idea of mixing politics with sports. There have to be areas in society where we put our differences aside and celebrate what we have in common. Sports is one of them -- as are food and most forms of entertainment. Itā€™s easy for someone whose politics lean left to love what the WNBA is doing. However, what if the players were to take up conservative causes? A lot of these players are religious. If you watch them in interviews or read their social media pages, people are always thanking God. What if next yearā€™s cause took on a pro-life, anti-abortion theme? What if they started campaigning in favor of school prayer? Would liberal fans still be as enthusiastic? I happen to know what itā€™s like to be at the other end of political intrusion. So, I can see how sports fans would leave because of the politics. Not only would they leave, but they would feel greater anger and resentment toward the other side for forcing them to give up an activity they loved, something that previously occupied so much of their time. I certainly support the right of players to express political opinions outside of basketball. Iā€™m also fine with the league taking stances on various issues. But during games, I just think itā€™s too much in-your-face insulting for people who have opposing views. Ultimately, I believe the practice has a divisive effect on our country.


I definitely see your point here. Itā€™s a fine line in wanting to keep conversations going to foster change....and let me start by saying I hear you when you say you side with activism in letting leagues take stances, and players voicing opinions outside of the game.

However, where we differ is that for me activism should absolutely be present in sports. Especially when it comes to equality. Racism and gender disparity are at the forefront of this fun entertainment world of sports.
To ignore it is to perpetuate the issues. This is the problem with the world, we want to ā€˜turn offā€™ issues that exist. But by doing that, by staying silent we keep the problems going. To not wear BLM on your jersey, we are choosing to not ā€˜upsetā€™ people who maybe arenā€™t people we should want to associate with?
I know I donā€™t want to align with people who canā€™t denounce racism and white supremacy...
The ones who will not support the league, will do so whether activism happens on the court or off.

If leagues were less worried about perception, ratings and money, and more about equality....maybe social change could start happening more. The more people who stand up and use their voice, always, the more likely change for equality will come. But this is the world we live in right, capitalism, selfishness and personal rights over community equality and well being.

I look to the social media accounts and how vicious people were about the W taking a stand for BLM.
This activism of condemning racism and white supremacy is seeking social change for equality and justice. How is that something anyone should be mad about?

Religion, who and how are they oppressed?
Religious beliefs could be a social issue, but in my mind the difference here is oppression. Who is being cruelly treated because of their religion?
Black people (and others) are constantly hurt because of the color of their (our) skin. Iā€™m not super familiar with many white, Anglo Saxon religions being hurt for their beliefs these days?

If as a collective the W started pushing for school prayer or pro life legislation, I wouldnā€™t personally like it but I wouldnā€™t be turned off immediately because Iā€™m open minded to hear them out on their beliefs. They would theoretically be voicing their concern over something important to them, and while I might not agree they are free to voice their political opinions and I donā€™t have to be a fan of those specific players if I find something they say problematic.

And yeah, if the league as a whole pushed for (at the players request) pro life legislation, I might not stay a fan because they are not aligning with my values (generally pro choice until thereā€™s a heartbeat, with exceptions).
Like Sophia Young back in the day showing her homophobia, saying no to ā€˜gay marriageā€™ and standing up for Jesus Christ. I loved her game before that, but couldnā€™t support her for her ā€˜beliefsā€™ after that.

I think activism for equality should be present everywhere, and always. If the way we are is pushing for equality, then the world would be a better place right?


Queenie



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PostPosted: 04/06/21 6:38 pm    ::: Re: Calling All Fans (Help on a grad paper)! Reply Reply with quote

Tally24 wrote:
1. When did you become a fan of the league? What was that experience like; how did it happen?


Story time!

So sports fandom in my family is actually borne on the X chromosomes. Mom comes from a long line of Yankee fans, had Rangers season tickets for many years, and tailgated once a year with her Rangers crew at Giant games. (She's in North Carolina now; tailgating at Giants Stadium or a reasonable facsimile thereof is therefore a bit more challenging.) My paternal grandmother apparently liked to play the ponies. Me? Well, in my earliest years, I was not into any sort of sports. I know. I know. We'll get there. Mom also has a strong feminist streak, so when she heard about a women's sports league starting up, she wanted to support it. (We could do a whole sidebar here about ease of accessibility to the WNBA versus the ABL, but that is not my area of expertise.)

So on that fateful June 21st, 1997, she sat my ass down in front of the TV and insisted we watch this game. I enjoyed it enough that she took me to the Liberty's home opener. It turns out this was the fandom equivalent of handing a junkie a crack pipe. We didn't go to any more games that year, but we made the home opener a tradition and added a half dozen games or so the next two years until settling into season tickets in 2000. I was still deemed too young to go to games by myself until 2003, so I missed a smattering of games in those first three years (so, for example, I never managed to see Portland).

There is an energy at W games that I have not experienced at other professional sporting events, and I have been to Yankees, Mets, Knicks, Nets, Giants, and Devils games. It's usually more joyful. I think this will actually be a turning-point year in that regard, because part of what makes the magic of the in-game experience is accessibility, and I suspect we'll still be in that pandemic mindset when the season starts; that makes getting autographs/pictures/that moment with your favorite a lot harder. (In general, it seemed like player accessibility was on a downward trend even before we had to stay away from *everyone*, but this is not gonna help.) But for most of the W's existence, that in-person energy was enough to make the experience transformative and draw the community together.

Because in a lot of cases, we're the people who can't afford NBA or NHL or NFL tickets. And even though W tickets have been getting steadily more expensive, the shorter season means it's still a cheaper investment. So because of that, it's a more varied crew. I mean, look at this collection of weirdos. Wink Very Happy Twisted Evil

Tally24 wrote:
2. When did you notice the shift in marketing that embraced queer fans, rather than ignored them? What triggered this shift?


Well, as previously noted, I can be spectacularly oblivious to things sometimes. I blame some of it on my badly miscalibrated gaydar (it turns out my baseline was, uh, not, but that's neither here nor there). But as a New York fan, it went from the team all but claiming that Blaze was the only lesbian around the team (and even then, the language around her family varied in how open it was about the gender of her partner) with gossip being shared here that players were discouraged from even being seen in gay bars, to a sense of "yeah, yeah, whatever, just give us your money" (while turning a blind eye to guerrilla marketing in the stands from Olivia one year during Swoopes's lesbian phase), to openly pushing rainbow Liberty gear and rolling up to the Pride Parade (I have heard second-hand stories of lesbian Liberty fans crying tears of joy at seeing Liberty pride gear, of being acknowledged and welcomed.

What triggered it? I'd guess regime change and the realization that marketing to the LGBT community meant making money.



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Queenie



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PostPosted: 04/06/21 6:56 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Bob Lamm wrote:
I posted this years ago; I'm reposting it because many active on this board today may never have seen it.

In 2000, Alisa Solomon, an outstanding journalist, was covering the New York Liberty for the Village Voice. At that time, Sue Wicks of the Liberty was the only out lesbian in the WNBA. Solomon asked Wicks about the league's "squeamishness" regarding its lesbian players and noted that Wicks was one of the few players in the league willing to discuss that issue.

When asked about the number of lesbian players in the WNBA, Wicks replied: "I can't say how many are gay, but it would be easier to count the straight ones." Many of those working at the time for the WNBA and for the Liberty must have gone nuts seeing that great public statement.

You can read more of what Wicks said here:

https://www.villagevoice.com/2000/08/08/sue-wickss-forward-behavior/


A couple of years later, in a different interview, they straight-up (no pun intended) asked her if she was gay, and she answered the question just as unequivocally. That simple act, in a time when the league was steadfastly pretending lesbians didn't exist, remains one of the reasons she's one of my all-time favorites, and I'm probably not the only person who feels that way.

I think it's important to realize that we didn't always have this level of knowledge about players' off-court lives. We'd get fluff interviews about them, yes, but they rarely veered into the existence of other people in their lives- unless that other person was a dude and/or their child by way of a dude. There were a lot of gender-neutral pronouns and nouns being thrown around, and you learned how to parse those. (So yes, it does occasionally amuse me how careful we are now, fifteen-twenty years later, to use gender-neutral language as an act of inclusion and openness when it was once an indicator of exclusion and secrecy.)

Vanderquigs? Bonner/Dupree and the twins? When I was Tally's age, we had to draw implications from Tweety Nolan and Elaine Powell owning a dog jointly.

{edited 'cause I forgot who I was quoting}



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WfanFrJmp



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PostPosted: 04/06/21 10:47 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Tally24 wrote:
I was hoping to get posters to answer a few questions and share any sources that might be of use for my paper. Also, feel free to take a stab at any of the research questions I pose in my proposal!Ā 

1. When did you become a fan of the league? What was that experience like; how did it happen?


Iā€™ve been a fan of the league since the beginning. I loved basketball growing up and was the sole girl out there playing and giving the boys buckets in my neighborhood. At the time, competition for girls was not very good and I had no idea that women could get scholarships for playing or that they could play professionally; hence, I didnā€™t ever play organized ball. I decided to focus on academics but would play pick up in college and wherever there was a hoop and a court, bball was core to my workout. Then the 1996 Olympics came which changed everything. Riding the wave of Olympic success, the league started and we had pro-womenā€™s bball in the US!! (The ABL started the year before but unfortunately, didnā€™t have the same national roll-out or lead up). I could see myself in those women because they were and are me but they either had foresight or loved the game enough to put in the time to see where it could take them. Iā€™ve loved every minute of supporting the league and am definitely invested in the growth and success of the league and the players. Itā€™s a beautiful thing!

Tally24 wrote:
2. When did you notice the shift in marketing that embraced queer fans, rather than ignored them? What triggered this shift?

3. There is a source that mentions a kiss-in organized by Liberty fans in 2002. I found a few articles talking about it, but I want more. I know we have life-long Liberty fans here (Queenie, I am looking at you) and I was hoping to get a more through account.


In all honesty, Iā€™m not sure if there was a specific time or a ā€œbanner roll-outā€ to better embrace queer fans. Marketing the league has been a challenge largely because of the de-valuation of the product by the general population due to gender, race and sexuality. For so long, I had not lived in a W market and wonder if there is more targeted marketing in communities where the teams are located. The league has had some bumps and bruises for sure and for a long time, they really seemed very focused on not acknowledging their queer audience and trying to paint the league with a certain lens by promoting players that they feel would appeal to a broad demographic. Itā€™s funny when people come to games, they have no idea of what to expect and I know some are thinking there will be a whole pride parade in the stands, complete with endless kiss cams. I have to admit that I hadnā€™t seen kiss cams but dance cams are everywhere! Lol! Anytime I have brought non-W loving friends/family to games, they have been pleasantly surprised at the fun, family atmosphere.

I think in the last couple of years, they have done a much better job with embracing the very diverse community of people who love and support the league. Also, I think players being more outspoken about sharing aspects of their lives (e.g., the announcement of marriages, children, etc.) has pushed things forward greatly, as well.


Tally24 wrote:
4. How did you feel about the activism of the WNBA players during the 2020 season? Do you think their physical location contributed to the success they had, if you think they did succeed?

I have been so proud of the way that the ladies have used their voices and their platforms to bring attention to issues that are not only important to them but for a league that is 80+% black, many know that the issues on the table are matter of life and death for them and people who look like them. Justice, access, protection, equality and freedom are not evenly distributed in society and the players do not stop being who they are just because they step on the court. They are fully human on and off the court and I defend their right to do and be 100% who they are and to speak their truth authentically. Yes, at the end of the day, they are athletes and entertainers but throughout history, athletics and activism have gone hand in hand because often on the field/court of play is the only time society ā€œseesā€ them and values what they say. The leadership and voice of athletes has lead to positive change in so many aspects of life and Iā€™m 100% all for it. I do think the ā€œbubbleā€ provided a unique opportunity and the league and players did a great job of capitalizing on it. 2020 was full of a lot of pain around COVID (disproportionate impacts in black and brown communities), social injustice, job loss, political/ideological disunity, misinformation, etc. Sometimes, I wonder how they were able to balance playing and pushing for social justice, in the midst of constant testing, a restricted environment and the many pandemic unknowns. I absolutely believe they were successful. Truly, the very existence of the W is an act of resistance and activism and they are always pushing for equality and inclusion, but Iā€™m amazed they basically turned Warnockā€™s campaign around; helped the get out the vote agenda and largely were the inspiration for many of the activism elements in both of the bubbles.

Thank you for affording us the ability to share a bit of our W stories. It provided a great opportunity to share and reminisce. I wish you much success on your paper and throughout your PhD studies!


CamrnCrz1974



Joined: 18 Nov 2004
Posts: 18371
Location: Phoenix


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PostPosted: 04/09/21 9:41 am    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Tally24, I just emailed you.


Tally24



Joined: 14 Feb 2012
Posts: 2709
Location: Baton Rouge


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PostPosted: 04/11/21 12:42 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Thank you to everyone who has reached out, either on the board and through email. I am still working through reading all of your responses. I have been under the weather following my vaccine for a few days now.

I really appreciate your participation and the thoughtfulness of the responses I have read!
Tally24



Joined: 14 Feb 2012
Posts: 2709
Location: Baton Rouge


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PostPosted: 06/10/21 7:25 pm    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Hi, wonderful Reb posters. An update on the saga that was this paper. As with most things, the initial vision for this project was revamped and reconstructed after (gentle-ish) feedback from my professor. The initial paper that I wrote was very much in the style of a historical account of the league that had a little to do with the class I was taking (Political Rhetoric in Black and White). However, the final version if the paper had a lot to do with the class, which meant I had to cut out large portions, especially those dealing with personal narratives about the W.

However, do not be discouraged because I have documented your accounts and I am VERY MUCH considering writing my dissertation about the WNBA, so they are shelved, for now, but not gone for good.

With all of that being said, I wanted to say thank you to everyone for sharing their stories with me. I wanted to return the favor and share my "story" with you all. The link will bring anyone interested to my Google Drive where they can read the submitted paper. It's a little jargon-heavy and not my ideal paper, but it was still very fun to write about the league in an academic setting. P.S., I got an A, so that was an added plus Wink

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IOFr46TcAVbCbLL-KNwT3EQXJDfk_j_3/view?usp=sharing
johnjohnW



Joined: 11 Aug 2020
Posts: 1828



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PostPosted: 06/11/21 7:29 am    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Congrats!


bluedevilaztecfan5



Joined: 16 Mar 2010
Posts: 796
Location: San Diego, CA


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PostPosted: 06/13/21 11:15 am    ::: Reply Reply with quote

Congrats! Iā€™ll check it out later Very Happy


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