Nneka ogwumike gay
Nneka Ogwumike on Brittney Griner and the politics of pay inequity
Season two of The Long Game kicks off with returning host Ibtihaj Muhammad interviewing Nneka Ogwumike, the president of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association, about the efforts she and others in the league have made to keep the spotlight on Brittney Griner. Brittney, an eight-time WNBA All-Star, was sentenced in August to nine years in a Russian prison after pleading guilty to drug charges. Russian officials said they found vape cartridges containing cannabis oil in her luggage at Moscow’s airport. Brittney testified that she &#;had no intent&#; of breaking any Russian laws.
Ogwumike talks about the injustice of Brittney&#;s case, and also delves into her victory negotiating the WNBA’s most recent union contract and her quest to end pay inequity in professional basketball.
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Note: We encourage you to listen to the audio if you are able, as it includes feeling not captured by the transcript. Please check the corresponding au The WNBA celebrated their 25th Anniversary during the season. Not only was their birthday a huge milestone for women’s professional basketball, but the league’s maturation has coincided with a growing acceptance of players that identify as male lover, lesbian, bisexual and trans. Back in when the league first started out there was obvious pressure for the league to prevail . That meant the players had to present themselves more traditionally-dressed (see: feminine) often with polished nails and make up – this translated to many players that it wasn’t okay to be themselves. While the WNBA’s rival the ABL acknowledged and embraced their Lesbian fanbase premature on, it was transparent that the WNBA hoped to reach a broader audience. The WNBA’s endeavors into growing their audience was understood, but often the league’s actions alienated the diehard LGBTQ+ community. We present this history to contextualize how sensitive the WNBA was about their appearance and the prevailing stereotypes about women athletes, masculinity and femininity and their sexuality. These stereotypes lead to being treated differen For WNBA players' union president and reigning MVP Nneka Ogwumike, leadership is a lot about camaraderie. While she plays an ocean away from home, it's about camaraderie with her fellow WNBA players on her team there. Ogwumike plays on a team with Epiphanny Prince (New York Liberty) and Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream). They enjoy catching up on television shows together -- Ogwumike is addicted to ABC's Thursday night lineup -- and making potluck dinners. She spoke to For The Win on behalf of Women's History Month -- a month meant to look at women's advancements across history -- but one that put in a smaller context, can remind us of the history she made in the season. She was the most efficient shooter ever in professional basketball. She brought dwelling a title to Los Angeles -- the team's first. And she was elected to succeed Tamika Catchings as the players' union president -- the first time the union has had a new president since Already, as president, leadership and camaraderie has meant dealing wit I&#;m going to let you in on an reveal secret among basketball fans: All-Star Games aren&#;t usually worth watching. Sure, the game gets a lot of hype — especially on the men&#;s side — but the games are rarely competitive or have any stakes paired with them. Players are weary of getting impair before returning for the second half of the season, so they don&#;t over-exert themselves too much, especially on the defensive end. At most, the best you can aspire for is an repulsive showcase, including the occasional dunk. But this year, the WNBA is making its annual All-Star Game count. Tonight, Team USA will face Team WNBA, a collection of All-Stars selected by the league&#;s coaches from a pool voted on by fans, media and the players. It&#;ll be the first of three exhibition games before Team USA&#;s Olympic rivalry begins. There&#;s not day for lackadaisical defense: with just two weeks until their opening round game, every game is pivotal. If Team USA wants to continue their Olympic dominance, they&#;ll have to start with beating their teammates. Before tonight&#;s tip-off, tw
WNBA MVP leads with inclusivity -- and she's coming help in even stronger