September 23, 2016

WNBA players have been on the forefront in their support of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement and the call for equal justice for all. After the officer involved killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, several WNBA teams took a stand by wearing t-shirts to show solidarity and to honor those who had been killed by those sworn to protect and serve. Initially the Indiana Fever, New York Liberty, and Phoenix Mercury were all fined by the league for failure to comply with uniform guidelines but those fines were later rescinded after the league received backlash for not supporting its players.

The New York Liberty and the Indiana Fever took their stand one step further when both teams imposed a “media blackout,” where they refused to answer any questions about basketball and instead took questions only about the recent climate in black communities across the country. Tina Charles, who took the league’s scoring and rebounding crown this season, has been one of the more vocal players in her support of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement. Earlier this summer, Charles posted on her instagram account that “Although this is only phase one, we are looking forward to the support and exploring ways to make a difference in the African-American community, given our platform, and continuing to be a voice to those who are marginalized in our society.” [Read more…]