WNBA legend Sue Bird and former U.S. women’s soccer star Megan Rapinoe weighed in on the backlash over Caitlin Clark’s remarks about White privilege in her interview with Time magazine.
The Indiana Fever star spoke about her supposed White privilege as she said the WNBA has been built on the backs of Black players.
“The more we can appreciate that, highlight that, talk about that and then continue to have brands and companies invest in those players that have made this league incredible, I think it’s very important,” Clark said in the interview last week. “I have to continue to try to change that. The more we can elevate Black women, that’s going to be a beautiful thing.”
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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, #22, walks past the photo backdrop on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024 during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Clark’s reaction sparked a ton of backlash on social media.
Bird said on the latest episode of her podcast with Rapinoe, “A Touch More,” that the anger around the White privilege comments proved something about her fans.
“Now this faction of her fanbase which we’ve discussed before that is now disgusted with her acknowledging is just showing they were never really here for basketball,” Bird said. “… Which by the way just proves that there are issues with race in this country. Like, to me, that just proves it. And I think where I’ve landed is I’d almost want to pose some questions.”
Bird then wondered whether there would have been any outrage about the incidents Clark was involved in during the course of her rookie season if she were Black.
“I personally think she deserves to be Time Athlete of the Year,” Bird continued. “I think she earned that, and she’s like, yeah, ‘I’ve done enough to earn this,’ and I agree and also is acknowledging her White privilege and that is something that you know you’re talking about your experience, that’s something I’ve had to acknowledge in my experience. I’ve won the championships, I’ve done the things, and there’s this other part to it that I’m also going to acknowledge.
“And that to me is just is the world we live in and to say it doesn’t exist is really saying you don’t live in the same world, or you’re not seeing the same things and that’s obviously the root of all the conversations that we see today, not just in women’s basketball, literally in our country period.”
Bird added that, at the end of the day, her race did not score points.
CAITLIN CLARK’S JERSEY NUMBER TO BE RETIRED BY IOWA
Sue Bird, left, and Megan Rapinoe look on in the first quarter between the United States and France in the men’s basketball gold medal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena in Paris on Aug. 10, 2024. (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
Rapinoe took a shot at conservatives in her assessment.
“I think what Caitlin did in her quotes, or in the article, was speak explicitly about her White privilege, like and that is what is receiving so much criticism or backlash, and like that is the lesson,” the former NWSL star said. “So, you know, for conservative media coming at her now that obviously they’re just showing their whole a–.
“If fans are upset about her saying that and just acknowledging what is true, I think that says a lot. But I think the more that you speak directly to it the clearer it becomes what your stance is, and then you can’t be used in that way. It doesn’t really leave your beliefs or your stance as a white player to any sort of interpretation.
“You’re taking the space and owning the narrative yourself. I think another thing that I’m constantly trying to think of and be aware of, and I want other people to be aware of also, anytime there is a positive story in women’s sports, the area, the sort of quote unquote area is immediately flooded with divisive narratives.
“But for all of us to just be aware of that, that anytime there’s anything positive or any honestly just any news at all in women’s sports, it’s just like immediately flooded with insanity and really divisive narratives. And I think to that, like when we as athletes are being used, when is your narrative, when is your likes being used, when are the things that you’re saying being used.
Lisa Bluder, left, and Caitlin Clark talk during practice for the NCAA women’s college basketball championship game between Iowa and South Carolina on April 6, 2024. (Zach Boyden-Holmes / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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“You know the sort of like ecosystem of people in women’s sports that really do care about whether it’s you know athletes, fans, owners, people that work with teams, whatever. Like when are you being used by this like, sort of meta narrative or these like divisive narratives and to be really smart about that.”
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