The Bayou Barbie’s Unapologetic Stand for Women’s Basketball
The NCAA Women’s Championship featured the best and the brightest stars in college basketball fighting for the national title. Between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the LSU Tigers, the hype for the game was unmatched, with fans expecting tension, trash talk, and inevitable triumph. But beneath the highly publicized battle featuring Caitlyn Clark and Angel Reese lies a deeper conversation about enduring misogyny and racism in women’s sports.
Women are often pitted against each other in different industries, especially in sports where female leagues are severely underhyped and underfunded. Because of these challenges, the 2023 championship game was revolutionary, with the highest number of viewers ever for any women’s game which peaked at 12.6 million people. Yet, with so many people tuning into a single game, the media, fans, and critics found themselves picking apart both the sport and the players.
At the center of the controversy is LSU Forward Angel Reese, known as the ‘Bayou Barbie,’ famous for her rebounding athleticism, and Iowa Guard Caitlin Clark, with record-breaking points and assists. The debate sparked between the two due to hand gestures used to communicate as typical competitive discourse. Reese’s signaling of a championship ring elicited media backlash like no other, calling for a conversation about trash talk and sportsmanship. While Clark has been praised for her talents and confidence, many ruthlessly criticized Reese, including Barstool Sports founder David Portnoy, who called her “classless” (and other obscenities) in a tweet.
Considering how women are treated as athletes and competitors, the difference between men's and women's sports is all the more shocking. Just two years ago, the NCAA was under fire for the lack of gear and facilities for women’s teams compared to the men’s basketball players, who were given substantial supplies and top-of-the-line equipment to prepare for the tournament.
The double standards also exist when showing emotion and having confidence on and off the court. Professional basketball players who are men can be as cocky and passionate as they please, but women are expected to be poised and sportsmanlike in all situations.
However, many women may be pitted against one another and often work together to fight for the same goal: equal opportunities. Both Reese, with the most Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals of any collegiate player, and Clark’s impressive ability to draw in new and unlikely fans to women’s basketball have changed the game in different ways. The athletes have grown the sport by proving they don’t have to fit into a box and be palatable to be successful. When it comes to these players’ influence, Reese’s ability to be her unapologetic self has represented the marginalized athletes who must fight constant uphill battles.
"This was for the girls that look like me, that’s going to speak up on what they believe in. It’s unapologetically you. That’s what I did it for tonight. It was bigger than me tonight,” said Reese.
The racism and discrimination within the sport persist beyond the championship game. Head Coach for the South Carolina Gamecocks, Dawn Staley, had to defend her team against racially charged commentary which cited the players as “bullies” and “thugs” for their offensive spirit. But the latest tensions have risen from the annual White House tradition in which the winner of the championship is invited to visit the Capitol. Reese spoke out and declined the offer from First Lady Jill Biden following her lack of previous support for the Tigers and bending of rules to include the Hawkeyes.
Sports represent the drive, ambition, and spirit of competition that so many athletes embody. Not only do sports provide us with endless entertainment, but they exist as an outlet for activism and expression. Female athletes like Serena Williams, Shacarri Richardson, and Gaby Douglass have all stood up in the face of racism and sexism in sports, making waves for athletes to come. But the work for women and other marginalized groups is not over yet, which has been proven by the recent events in women’s basketball. Success for female athletes goes well beyond the WNBA and the NCAA. It reaches courts worldwide where women must defend their place in the game, even when the odds (and fans) are against them.
Strike Out,
Matilda Pollard
Boca Raton
Matilda Pollard is a Content Writer for Strike Magazine Boca. She is a proud Pisces who loves all things creative. Her hobbies include trying new foods and watching classic rom-coms. You can reach her at mpollard280@gmail.com
