Candice Wiggins: I paid for being a straight woman in a 98-percent-gay WNBA February 21, 2017
Candice Wiggins says she made enemies during her WNBA career because she was different.
In fact, she claims she was the rarest of players in the league: a straight woman.
“Me being heterosexual and straight, and being vocal in my identity as a straight woman was huge,” Wiggins told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “I would say 98 percent of the women in the WNBA are gay women. It was a conformist type of place. There was a whole different set of rules they (the other players) could apply."
The Union-Tribune reported at least a dozen current and former WNBA players have come out as gay.
Wiggins, who retired from the WNBA last year after eight seasons in the league, told the Union-Tribune she was bullied by opponents on the court, especially early in her career. She blamed that partly on the WNBA being an arm of the NBA.
“It comes to a point where you get compared so much to the men, you come to mirror the men," she told the Union-Tribune. “So many people think you have to look like a man, play like a man to get respect. I was the opposite. I was proud to a be a woman, and it didn’t fit well in that culture.”
Wiggins said she was happier playing in Europe, an experience she said "shaped my entire world view."
Expect to hear more from Wiggins about this in the future; she told the Union-Tribune she's writing an autobiography that will include parts of her journals from her WNBA days.
it is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. - sherlock holmes
-The Knicks’ coaching search still includes a lone frontrunner, Kurt Rambis, whose qualifications for the position include a strong relationship with Jackson and a willingness to take the job.
7. "She also seems focused on women being feminine." In response to Reply # 4
Complaining about being thrown down and women being too manly and how volleyball players are so much easier to be around and love their feminine bodies. Definitely feels like she's dancing around her main issue.
That being said, I don't doubt that there's some shady shit that happens in the locker room. Especially to the younger players. Sadly, that's more human nature than anything else.
BrooklynWHAT Member since Jun 15th 2007 85073 posts
Wed Feb-22-17 10:50 AM
20. "unrelated but this is why volleyball is passing women's bball in popular..." In response to Reply # 7
>Complaining about being thrown down and women being too manly >and how volleyball players are so much easier to be around and >love their feminine bodies.
legsdiamond Member since May 05th 2011 79594 posts
Wed Feb-22-17 11:11 AM
23. "Whoa... I wonder how girls/women feel about the spandex" In response to Reply # 20
Is it feminine or do they feel like it's ridiculous
**************** TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*
16. "RE: There are 12 WNBA teams and 12 max roster for each" In response to Reply # 14
>So there are 144 WNBA players. If 98% of them are lesbian, >then there's only 3 straight women in the WNBA. > >I know Candace Parker is straight. >I know Skylar Diggins is straight. >I know Monica Wright is straight.
auragin_boi Member since Aug 01st 2003 20939 posts
Wed Feb-22-17 11:41 AM
26. "RE: There are 12 WNBA teams and 12 max roster for each" In response to Reply # 16
>>So there are 144 WNBA players. If 98% of them are lesbian, >>then there's only 3 straight women in the WNBA. >> >>I know Candace Parker is straight. >>I know Skylar Diggins is straight. >>I know Monica Wright is straight. > >how do you KNOW? Did you hit?
Candace was married to Sheldon Fivehead Williams and they have a kid together. Skylar had a boyfriend coming into the league. Monica was engaged to Kevin Durant before he broke it off.
At worst, they could all be bi but not lesbian. *shrug*
27. "RE: There are 12 WNBA teams and 12 max roster for each" In response to Reply # 26
>>>So there are 144 WNBA players. If 98% of them are >lesbian, >>>then there's only 3 straight women in the WNBA. >>> >>>I know Candace Parker is straight. >>>I know Skylar Diggins is straight. >>>I know Monica Wright is straight. >> >>how do you KNOW? Did you hit? > > >Candace was married to Sheldon Fivehead Williams and they have >a kid together. >Skylar had a boyfriend coming into the league. >Monica was engaged to Kevin Durant before he broke it off. > >At worst, they could all be bi but not lesbian. *shrug*
You've heard of Sheryl Swoopes haven't you? She was married to her high school sweetheart, had a kid, got divorced, decided she was gay, was in a relationship with a woman, broke up with her, now she's engaged to a dude again. I guess you can classify her as a trysexual.
31. "Delle Donne just came out..." In response to Reply # 14
I think she's now engaged to her girlfriend.
You're such pests...now, what is it you want? In your depths of your ignorance, what is it you want? Well, whatever it is you want, I can't deliver because I just don't see it. - Orson Welles
legsdiamond Member since May 05th 2011 79594 posts
Wed Feb-22-17 11:01 AM
22. "Yup, people are focusing on that to ignore the real point she is making" In response to Reply # 15
Small sample size but my wife had a friend who quit college soccer because her teammates were trying to get at her in the locker room.
I'm talking pulling on her shorts, her towel after a shower and talking about "Imma get me some of that"
I think it's prolly a more serious issue than some want to believe. Similar to ole girl from Baylor shedding light on same sex spouses abuse.
**************** TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*
29. "RE: Yup, people are focusing on that to ignore the real point she is mak..." In response to Reply # 22
>Small sample size but my wife had a friend who quit college >soccer because her teammates were trying to get at her in the >locker room. > >I'm talking pulling on her shorts, her towel after a shower >and talking about "Imma get me some of that" > >I think it's prolly a more serious issue than some want to >believe. Similar to ole girl from Baylor shedding light on >same sex spouses abuse.
yeah I have a female cousin that played college ball and she didn't have any problems in college but after she graduated she tried playing in some adult female rec and semi-pro leagues and that kind of thing was so rampant she gave it up.
34. "Eh, it's not hard to believe." In response to Reply # 33
I doubt the majority of players target straight women per se. There's probably some inappropriate shit going down against all women but straight women probably find it more uncomfortable given they're not into women to begin with. And there are probably a few people who see the straight women as more of a challenge and egg them on more.
Making matters worse, going off of these comments, Candice seems like someone who might have stood up for herself in a way that rubbed everyone else in the locker room the wrong way. Took a Pretty, Real Woman Me vs. the sinful butch world attitude.
This is a good example of why you sometimes need to separate the accusation from the accuser. Candice's comment might be hyperbole but it doesn't mean that her struggles didn't stem from a real issue that needs to be dealt with.
36. "You know with the usual political correct olympics that is common here....." In response to Reply # 34
mf's are going to injure themselves jumping back and forth like "it's ok to harass a woman as long as it's done by another woman, she should put her beliefs to the side and be more sensitive to her teammates desires!"
legsdiamond Member since May 05th 2011 79594 posts
Wed Feb-22-17 04:12 PM
40. "Lmao @ more sensitive to their female desires. " In response to Reply # 36
**************** TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*
41. "meanwhile, your interest in women's issues" In response to Reply # 36
only pops up when it supports your homophobia. what a fair person you are!
no one is even saying she wasn't ostracized by other women in the league, just having a tough time believing that her straightness was the source of that based on... well, all of human history.
42. "I'm just here for the entertainment..." In response to Reply # 41
>only pops up when it supports your homophobia. what a fair >person you are! > >no one is even saying she wasn't ostracized by other women in >the league, just having a tough time believing that her >straightness was the source of that based on... well, all of >human history.
just saying it's difficult to believe people were discriminating against her for her sexuality when probably half her teammates are straight too, not to mention most of the population.
51. "it's admittedly a number I'm throwing out. wasn't pretending otherwise." In response to Reply # 48 Thu Feb-23-17 10:43 AM by pretentious username
> >>just saying it's difficult to believe people were >>discriminating against her for her sexuality when probably >>half her teammates are straight too, > >Or is "half" just a number you threw out like she did with >"98%"? >
the "probably" would indicate that. 98 is clearly hyperbole though.
edit: back to the larger point though, i'm not saying her claim isn't without merit, and most of the people in this post aren't saying that either. none of us believe gay people are saints who can do no wrong (Hi Milo). but you acting like a crusader for women's rights when you're sticking up for ONE woman just cause it supports your anti-gay thing is laughable. you think you're exposing our double standard, but if a woman said this about her male co-workers you'd be one of the first in here to suggest she's making it up for attention or money. shit, if a gay dude said this about his straight teammates you'd probably say he was exaggerating.
54. "right back atcha buddy" In response to Reply # 53
again, using all of human history as context: straight people being bullied by gay people is pretty damn rare. but sure, gay mafia and all that... keep doing you.
55. "RE: right back atcha buddy" In response to Reply # 54
>again, using all of human history as context: straight people >being bullied by gay people is pretty damn rare. but sure, gay >mafia and all that... keep doing you.
In a situation were one group is the majority and another is the minority it can actually quite common like say a WNBA locker room, a correctional facility, etc.
it is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. - sherlock holmes
dula dibiasi Member since Apr 05th 2004 21925 posts
Wed Feb-22-17 09:16 PM
46. "poor heteros. can't catch a break anywhere." In response to Reply # 0
*sheds a solitary hetero tear*
___
it is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. - sherlock holmes
normal35762 Member since Oct 20th 2004 13246 posts
Thu Feb-23-17 10:22 AM
50. "Side note: You know what is so "awww isn't that cute" to me about.." In response to Reply # 0
women's basketball? No matter if they straight, gay or whatever...in a major game women on the losing team will cry way harder than the dudes. Hugging each other with towels over they face.
52. "you know them hard ones do that ugly cry too lol..." In response to Reply # 50
>women's basketball? No matter if they straight, gay or >whatever...in a major game women on the losing team will cry >way harder than the dudes. Hugging each other with towels over >they face.
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