In her post-game interview last night, now-retired center Lisa Leslie made the following comments about WNBA players:
Leslie: "Also another important message is how we represent ourselves as women. We need to look like women; it's important how we carry ourselves, how we dress on and off the court. A lot of these things have to be addressed and continue to be addressed because we are the product, and it's important.
People want to see a good product. They do. That's just the bottom line. And you need to be marketable and I think that more women need to understand that here in our league."
(Video is on this page).
In a business sense, Leslie is correct in that the WNBA is a product that has to be marketable. But her implications are way off base.
She doesn't explain what "looking like women" means in her mind, but it's indicative by her own dress: hair ribbons on the court and femmey clothing off of it. That's her style and it works for her, but that's not the style of all WNBA players.
Take Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles. Both wear boyish and/or men's clothing because that's their style, and they make it look damn good. Putting a bow in the hair of either woman would look ridiculous and contrived, as would seeing them in the short-shorts Leslie has been photographed in around her home. It's not them, and to pretend it is would be a lie.
Her own teammate Betty Lennox - who Leslie seems to get along with extremely well - also isn't a girly girl in any way. Does Leslie think Betty should get all dolled up like her?
I chided Leslie in this space earlier in the season when she was quoted in a Sparks game program giving herself props for maintaining her femininity over her long career. I'm going to repeat myself here: if being feminine is your style and your personality, go fot it. But if it's not, don't do it. Just be yourself.
Women have a hard time being ourselves, and other places in the world are much worse. I wish Leslie, with all her influence, had said instead: there's a place in the WNBA for every great player, whether she's a tomboy, a foofoo, or somewhere in between. You are perfectly wonderful just the way you are.
You missed a great opportunity to give girls some validation as people, Lisa Leslie.
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4 comments:
Well put. I don't know if I could put it as diplomatically as you did. I think this was an obvious slap at lesbian players, and by extension, lesbian fans. The league would be out of business without lesbians, on and off the court. Also, it was a negative message to young girls who may be wondering if their tomboy or lesbian tendencies are OK. She's telling them to deny their identity so they can please society's conformist values.
Lisa, Mercury fan, Phoenix, AZ
Hey Lisa,
Thanks for the comment - it's appreciated. It was difficult to be diplomatic because she's said the same thing in several instances, and it grows more offensive each time. It's sad that the so-called representative of the league puts forth such old world, establishment ideas. What a waste of an opportunity.
It would be funny if Lisa Leslie's daughter Lauren turned out like me. I had a mother who always extolled the "ladylike" way. Wanted to put me in dresses and bows, when if she had any insight at all, she would have seen that wasn't me at all. I rebelled hard, going way off the deep-end in sports attire and ripped-to-shit jeans. If my mom had just encouraged me to just be me, we could have avoided all that and might still have a decent relationship today.
The good news is that Lisa Leslie's views are quite out of date. Today's teens are, for the (huge) most part, very accepting of their peers regardless of style or sexuality. And fortunately, these young people are the up and coming fans and players of the WNBA.
I'll say it one more time: if it's not you, screw the hair ribbons. Be yourself. The world would be a far more functional place if more people tried that.
I think you're totally wrong - I have many friends of all backgrounds and sexual preferences - looking like thugs isnt lesbian its looking like thugs, maybe we should alll realize that even men who look like gangsters are not what viewers want to see as role models. Women do not have to look like gang bangers to be lesbian. Just because you don't associate ribbons with lesbians maybe your problem I know several who wear ribbons!
Holy crap, I can't believe anyone could skew what I said so badly.
Have a good night.
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