Caitlin Clark’s entrance into the WNBA has caused an intense focus on the league, with high ratings, sellout crowds and, unfortunately, a whole bunch of dumb takes that have veered into homophobia and racism.
The latest entry into the dumb takes department is Outkick founder Clay Travis, who should generally be ignored, except that he has a prominent platform for conservatives and appears on popular cable shows like Sean Hannity’s on Fox.
The latest trigger point was Clark being shovedto the ground by Chicago Sky player Chennedy Carter during a game on Saturday, which drew a foul. It spurred a huge debate on whether the foul was Clark being bullied for being the new kid on the block or whether it was just basketball.
It also led people like Travis to inject race and sexuality into the mix, a volatile combination from someone who is a provocateur and not a sociologist.
“Caitlin Clark is a white heterosexual woman in a Black lesbian league and they resent and are jealous of all of the attention and the shoe deal that she got. And instead of recognizing the truth, which is great athletes who people care about coming into your league really do get everybody more money,” Travis told Hannity on Monday.
When Hannity asked what lesbians had to do with it, Travis replied by making up a stat.
“70% lesbian,” Travis said. “And I think her having a boyfriend, I think it’s a fiancé, who by the way said there needs to be an enforcer, creates two different identity politics universes that she doesn’t fit in in this league. They don’t like her cause she’s white and they don’t like her cause she’s straight. And as a result, the league is coming undone around her even though she’s bringing in new fans.”
