Since Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark joined the WNBA, the conversation about privilege, particularly white privilege, has become the topic of conversation around the league and how is playing a role in how she is treated.
A lot of people in the media have suggested that Clark is being treated harsher than other rookies in the league because of who she is and the color of her skin. Some people in the media have even labeled it jealousy on the other players’ part.
But the elephant in the room continues to be how the WNBA’s other players, who are mostly Black, are being made to look like villains in the league which has bothered a lot of people, particularly Black sports commentators.
However, one WNBA player, Los Angeles Sparks forward Cameron Brink, who is white, seems to understand why people feel the way they do and address the issue on social media.
Brink spoke about privilege and how heterosexual white females are treated compared to black players in a recent interview.
“I could go way deeper into this, but I would just say growing the fan base to support all types of players. I will acknowledge there’s a privilege for the younger white players of the league. That’s not always true, but there is a privilege that we have inherently, and the privilege of appearing feminine. Some of my teammates are more masculine. Some of my teammates go by they/them pronouns. I want to bring more acceptance to that and not just have people support us because of the way that we look. I know I can feed into that because I like to dress femininely, but that’s just me. I want everyone to be accepted — not just paid attention to because of how they look.”
That statement is important, as Brink understands that she knows she and players who look like her do have an advantage at times over black players, but it is also important that she uses her platform to address those issues and speak out.
