Transitioning From the Shadows to the Spotlight: The Progression of LGBTQ+ Visibility in the WNBA
In the ever-changing landscape of professional sports, the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) has emerged as a bastion of acceptance and representation for LGBTQ+ athletes. Heroes like Sue Bird, Candace Parker, and Layshia Clarendon have carved out space in American sports, propelling the league into the forefront of inclusivity.
Remember Sue Wicks, who dared to come out as a lesbian back in 2002—a groundbreaking move that made her the first WNBA player to step out of the proverbial closet? Twelve years before the NBA's first openly gay player, Jason Collins, ever took the court, Wicks' courage paved the way for a more accepting future.
Breaking Barriers: Sue Bird's Struggle for Authenticity
Sue Bird, the legendary point guard, didn't leap into the spotlight with a grand announcement. In 2017, Bird came out in an ESPN feature, shortly after beginning a relationship with fellow LGBTQ+ icon Megan Rapinoe. The moment was not premeditated, as Bird explained on SportsCenter: "Honestly, there was no thought that went behind this... It's just not me."
Early in her career, Bird was encouraged to maintain a heterosexual image to gain success in marketing. Recalling those conversations on an episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out, Bird admitted her fear and vulnerability: "The way I feel now about all of those conversations." ironically, Bird's decision to embrace her truth has been instrumental in creating a more welcoming environment for future generations.
Trailblazing Tides: Layshia Clarendon's Transformation
The tides have shifted dramatically since Wicks' historical coming out. Players like Layshia Clarendon, who made history as the first trans and nonbinary player in the WNBA, reap the benefits of their predecessors' courage. Clarendon shared her gender identity after the 2020 season and revealed in 2021 that she'd undergone top surgery.
Expressing the joy of her transformative journey on Instagram, Clarendon wrote: "It's hard to put into words the feeling of seeing my chest for the first time free of breasts, seeing my chest the way I've always seen it, and feeling a sense of gender euphoria as opposed to gender dysphoria."
While Clarendon faced criticism from right-wing media outlets, her team, the New York Liberty, showed unwavering support, underscoring the league's will to embrace gender beyond the binary.
Just Being: No Coming Out Required
In today's WNBA, fewer players feel the need to publicly come out. Athletes such as Dallas Wings forward NaLyssa Smith and Seattle Storm point guard Erica Wheeler simply exist as their authentic selves, free from fear of backlash or institutional resistance.
This new climate instills a sense of freedom for players like Smith, who currently dates her teammate DiJonai Carrington. "It just shows so much the league has grown... People are a lot more open to it," Smith observes. "So I think it's good for us."
For Wheeler, who has never issued a formal coming-out statement, the current climate holds a liberating sense of normalcy. "I think it lets you just live stress-free," Wheeler remarks. "You don't have to worry about hiding things from anyone or people using something against you."
- Sue Bird, a prominent figure in the WNBA, boldly revealed her sexuality in a 2017 interview with ESPN, demonstrating that even legendary athletes embrace the LGBTQ+ community in sports.
- Fashion and beauty are also areas where the WNBA showcases inclusivity, as seen with Layshia Clarendon, a nonbinary player who found support from her team, the New York Liberty, after sharing her gender identity and undergoing top surgery.
- Love, dating, and relationships within the WNBA now feel more normalized, with athletes like Dallas Wings forward NaLyssa Smith and Seattle Storm point guard Erica Wheeler living openly without the need for a formal coming-out statement or fear of backlash.
- In the sports, fashion, lifestyle, and relationship sectors, both past trailblazers like Sue Wicks and modern athletes like Layshia Clarendon have paved the way for an inclusive future in the WNBA, fostering an environment where LGBTQ+ players can flourish without having to prioritize coming out.
