RebKell's Junkie Boards

[WNBA 09]

The WNBA Drama continues ....


https://twitter.com/sryantribune/status/1397399551670108162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1397399551670108162%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=

[pilight]

If he's talking about a floor official, these three worked that game

_________________
I'm a lonely frog
I ain't got a home

[Richyyy]

I appreciate that 'white' can be a fluid term that means something different to different people, but this is all only complicated further by the element that I don't believe any of the three officials are white by common definitions.

Not saying that it would make anything okay, just that it makes it all even messier.

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Independent WNBA coverage: http://www.wnbalien.com/

[WNBA 09]

[Iluvacc]

I have a feeling this will be a long summer

[WNBA 09]

[Iluvacc]

[myrtle]

when I reffed, especially with the younger kids, I would sometimes coach a little at the same time. You know "get out of the key" or "don't reach" and wait to see if they responded before actually blowing the whistle. And generally I would call them by their jersey color "blue girl, get out of the key" well one time it was a black girl wearing black jersey and I yelled really loud "black girl, don't reach"...and the whole gym went silent. Awkward some. Nothing came of it except my own embarrassment and I did explain later to her coach that I always referred to their jersey color, but still it was a bit of a wake up call. I was a lot more careful after that, especially if a team wore black.

Just to point out that sometimes things aren't quite what they look like.

[Richard 77]

"In my century, we've learned not to fear words." - Uhura/Nichelle Nichols.

When will those in this century learn?

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If you cannot inspire yourself to read a book about women's basketball, or any book about women's sports, you cannot inspire any young girl or boy to write a book about them. http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/Richardstrek

[jmvcity]

So the Sky have the "boy" and the Sun have the "little white man"? Who's next?

[myrtle]

[Skyfan22]

Somewhat surprised by the mentality in this thread currently. I for one find the socially conscious and responsible nature of the WNBA and this board a refreshing break from the reality of every day in Texas life right now. Dismissing the very real perception of insult of a black coach in this league is unfortunate.

[myrtle]

I would like to know the context in which 'boy' was used.

"Boy, sit down and shut up" is one thing.
"oh, boy, do I really have to listen to more of that" is something else

or is "oh boy" only a phrase used by old fogies like me? like "oh, boy, what a world we live in!"

And who is the 'white' ref that said it? It must be the guy who isn't black, but he doesn't appear to be 'white' either. That's not to say one minority can't be brutal to another because that's pretty common too. But not what I would expect in the refereeing world where your livelihood depends on neutrality.

[Richyyy]

According to one piece I read, the ref apparently said "Explain to your boy..." to one of Wade's players.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/sky/ct-chicago-sky-james-wade-complaint-official-20210526-oohhjvgye5ca7gunstk3meeazi-story.html

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Independent WNBA coverage: http://www.wnbalien.com/

[root_thing]

It's gotten to the point where I pretty much excised the words "boy" and "girl" from my vocabulary. This can get absurd because I tutor grade school kids and have legitimate reasons to use those words. Still, I always think twice and usually refer to children by their names. And even though it's clunky, I discuss gender differences in terms of "male students" and "female students."

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You can always do something else.

[Silky Johnson]

[pilight]

[ucbart]

[johnjohnW]

Oof. This one is just unpleasant all around. I respect Wade's right to be offended based on his experience but... this just doesn't seem it. That doesn't mean it's okay and I definitely think it's important for non black people, even Asians, to be informed about why a word like boy can be viewed as derogatory. I would also hope that coach Wade could give someone the benefit of the doubt that this was a benign comment as "boy" is also very common as colloquial slang on the basketball court. Hopefully this investigation leads to a learning experience as that would be the most impactful thing to do.

That being said, aren't all coaches cry babies? Lol!

[ChiSky54]

I think the Wade situation has many layers that many wouldn't understand if they were not subject to microaggressions on a regular basis.

Part of the issue here is that the ref, for reasons we may never know (but can speculate endlessly!), apparently didn't want to say anything directly to Wade. He decided instead to use a team member - clearly his subordinate - to relay a message. The context, in his head, was possibly lighthearted and by using a colloquial phrase, possibly justified, in his head, that it would be received as such.

But in the intensity of the moment - frustration over bad calls and lack of execution by players - it didn't sit right. And to not address him directly added another layer of disrespect. The word "boy" used towards black men had a long history that I will not go into at length here. So to imply that he was being overly sensitive...I'll just leave it alone from here.

Yes, this is wild speculation - I was in the building but didn't witness or hear the exchange. Under other circumstances, Wade may have responded differently. But I know that, as a 67-year-old black woman, there are certain terms that are triggers when used by certain people. That's not only because of their historical contexts but also because people continue to use them so freely and in some cases think they are bonding or trying to be cool, when it ends up having a chilling (and not in a good way) effect.

JMO

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There is nothing new under the sun.

[calbearman76]

As a white person in his 30s I was once referred to as my boss's "boy" by a black legislator. I understood this as a slur but I didn't take offense. I also knew that it would serve no purpose to mention it publicly. Wade shouldn't have mentioned it either.

[ucbart]

[root_thing]

“Your boy” can have a lot of meanings ranging from lackey to good friend to a favorite. It does not necessarily have a racial context. The other day, I was watching Firing Line with Margaret Hoover. Yo-Yo Ma was her guest. At one point, they showed a clip of him performing with Rhiannon Giddens. Now, I’m a huge fan of Rhiannon to the point where I’ve probably made more entries to her Wikipedia page than anyone else over the last five years. My sister was watching with me, and she immediately said, “There’s your girl.” Now, did she say that because Giddens is African-American or because she views Rhiannon as less than a woman? No, my sister made that statement because she knows I love Rhiannon Giddens. Now, "girl" may not be as racially charged as "boy", but I think in both cases you have to focus on the intent rather than drag in a whole historical context that may not apply. Accusing people of racism over minor matters, especially when it may not be true, is going to make the general public jaded and skeptical. Then they may not react vigorously when such charges are actually warranted.

_________________
You can always do something else.

[ChicagoAnnie]

Perhaps the ref got too casual with his language. Particularly, when people casually refer to each other,(and "others") as "Ya Boy", and "Ya girl".... Perhaps, professionalism should be at question, and not his intention of being a racist.

[johnjohnW]