The internet is a dark hole, a mindless time-filler, a magical place, and somewhere in between for all its users. For athletes, it’s predominantly the former — a place for fans to open fire on anyone they please, firing vicious words into the direct mentions of whoever they want. While fans can stay anonymous and hide behind fake pictures and names, athletes can’t, and flumes of negativity pour into their phone notifications all day long.
For female athletes, the internet’s a whole other form of ugly. The world’s resistance in treating women as anything but equal is clearly reflected in social media, whether it be in Twitter replies or Instagram comments. The conversation online drifts anywhere from the character and physical appearance of female athletes, to the pay disparity they fight every single day.
Luckily the WNBA is stacked with athletes unafraid to speak their minds. They’ve had enough, and their messages are spot-on.
Las Vegas Aces guard Kayla McBride
I don’t wanna hear anything or anyone who doesn’t walk in my shoes every day talking about salary in the WNBA. We deserve more. Period. If you don’t like it. Or watch it. Or whatever. Stay in your lane homie because you not out here hoopin every night. Like I Am.
— Kayla McBride (@kaymac_2123) July 2, 2018
Dudes really out here talking. Can’t even beat me in horse but have something to say about my bank account. I’m sleep on the hatred and disrespect of the greatest women’s league in the world... y’all realize this is dreams that have come true for us right? Y’all realize this is
— Kayla McBride (@kaymac_2123) July 2, 2018
How we support our families. Ourselves. And you wanna come down on it because it’s not 154 mil like Lebron. Na. You can get a cool block on that. Because I hoop for a living. What y’all doin??
— Kayla McBride (@kaymac_2123) July 2, 2018
Let me clear this up. When I said stay in your own lane it’s about discussing your opinion on what I do for a living. How I get paid in comparison to other people. What I should be doing or shouldn’t be doing. You’re misinformed.
— Kayla McBride (@kaymac_2123) July 6, 2018
You’ve probably never been to a game, care or understand anything going on in my profession. Yet u take time to put down and degrade what I worked so hard for. . All I ask is that if you’re gonna speak on it. Inform yourself on it beforehand.
— Kayla McBride (@kaymac_2123) July 6, 2018
Inform yourself on the players. The women, daughters and mothers of this league. The incredible athletes, olympians and all stars. Go to a game. Try it out. Stop sitting behind a keyboard telling me about myself and the other 143 women I work with. Bc. You know nothing
— Kayla McBride (@kaymac_2123) July 6, 2018
Some of the women in this league are the coolest people in this world. Businesswomen, creators, scholars, authors, just dope ass women. So please. PLEASE. get to know some of them before you decide to tear us down. Watch us hoop. Start a conversation. Bet you’ll be impressed.
— Kayla McBride (@kaymac_2123) July 6, 2018
Las Vegas Aces forward and Rookie of the Year-to be A’ja Wilson
154M ........... must. be. nice. We over here looking for a M but Lord, let me get back in my lane pic.twitter.com/IFDZLlI53z
— A'ja Wilson (@_ajawilson22) July 2, 2018
And I love Bron not taking nothing away from him
— A'ja Wilson (@_ajawilson22) July 2, 2018
Lolololol ohh it’s about skill set? because I heard a bench player gets paid more than ...nvm https://t.co/Q41UsxKthZ
— A'ja Wilson (@_ajawilson22) July 2, 2018
& Stop telling to “get back in the kitchen” “stay in the kitchen” allat ... I CANT COOK! ask my parents, bae, friends all them know stop trolling and tweeting me that! I’ll burn the kitchen down
— A'ja Wilson (@_ajawilson22) July 2, 2018
Ooowwwweee the men in my mentions showing out, I hit a nerve I see I pray your future daughters wanna play basketball then maybe you’d chill on all the hate and get a better understanding
— A'ja Wilson (@_ajawilson22) July 2, 2018
Atlanta Dream center Imani McGee-Stafford
Yall really so tired with the “WNBA on the cooking channel” “get in the kitchen” yada yada. I’ll have you know I love to cook. I’m hella domesticated lol. But I’m also killing you in any one on one game and my muscles prolly bigger than yours.
— Imani McGee-Stafford (@imanitrishawn_) July 6, 2018
Keep your fragile masculinity out my mentions.
— Imani McGee-Stafford (@imanitrishawn_) July 6, 2018
Like isn’t that the beauty of professional women’s sports, the WNBA especially? Seeing a woman have it all? Breaking the narrative that a woman can only be dainty and docile and her sole purpose is to procreate and cater to her partner?
— Imani McGee-Stafford (@imanitrishawn_) July 6, 2018
And the awesome part is - we have women who fit the narrative of the feminine, dainty, and beautiful but we also have women who are powerful and breaking stereotypes and boundaries of what a woman and beauty looks like.
— Imani McGee-Stafford (@imanitrishawn_) July 6, 2018
You can try with all your might to ignore the inherent beauty and power of a woman chasing every goal she has and being unapologetically herself but history won’t be on your side.
— Imani McGee-Stafford (@imanitrishawn_) July 6, 2018
My checks clear. https://t.co/X6aV2wDysT
— Imani McGee-Stafford (@imanitrishawn_) July 6, 2018
Dallas Wings center Liz Cambage
today I learnt NBA refs make more than a WNBA player and the 12th man on a NBA team makes more than a WHOLE WNBA team
— Elizabeth Cambage (@ecambage) June 19, 2018
it’s quiet frustrating going to bed most nights knowing that if I was born with a penis I would be entitled to so much more in life
— Elizabeth Cambage (@ecambage) June 19, 2018
but god damn I love being a woman and I will never stop fighting for my sisters ♂️❤️
— Elizabeth Cambage (@ecambage) June 19, 2018
Dallas Wings guard Skylar Diggins-Smith
A little bit louder now!!
— Skylar Diggins-Smith (@SkyDigg4) July 2, 2018
But get yo money black man https://t.co/ShzS0ZLJdD
The fixes won’t come overnight, but the conversation can only help. And it doesn’t appear that the WNBA’s young talents will slow down on that effort.