Gender Equality Thread

Equality and fairness in all aspects, right? Then..... this as a current event topic. Not so much on Britney (has owned up to it and expressed remorse) or Glory, but on the WNBA and USA Basketball. C'mon now don't be stupid about the perceived appearance of a double standard:

(Hope Solo says "hello" as well) ...... with her recent extra curricular off the field bad behavior and retaining her spot on the US squad. Not saying I was rooting for her to be kicked off the squad, even with her other negative exploits. "Just sayin' "


WNBA, USA Basketball's silence on Brittney Griner risks double standard

By Eric Adelson1 hour agoYahoo Sports

Last December, several major professional sports leagues were called to Congress to testify on their efforts to combat domestic violence. The proceedings grew heated, with NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent becoming emotional over his own experiences as a child, and more than one accusatory exchange between public officials and representatives of the sport.


Brittney Griner, left, and her fiancée Glory Johnson, were arrested on April 22. (AP)

One league that was not brought before Congress: the WNBA.


Four months later, on April 22, one of the nation's most celebrated women's basketball players, Brittney Griner, was arrested after an altercation with her fiancée, Glory Johnson, who also plays in the WNBA. Both suffered minor injuries, including bite marks and a bloodied lip, according to the police report, which classified it as a domestic violence offense. Griner acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, vowing, "it will not happen again." She pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, and began 26 weeks of domestic violence counseling.

Two weeks later, her overseers have not yet meted out any punishment, nor have they censured the behavior.

Reached by Yahoo Sports on Monday, both the WNBA and USA Basketball said they were still investigating the matter. "The WNBA's investigation into the incident involving Brittney Griner and Glory Johnson is ongoing," was the statement relayed by spokesman Ron Howard – the same statement released a week ago. USA Basketball has not even spoken with the players involved. "We've got training camp right now," spokesman Craig Miller said by phone on Monday. "That's the priority right now."

So it's hard to see how an investigation is moving forward.

There is a risk here of conveying a double standard that domestic violence isn't worth punishing harshly when only women are involved. Although it has only been two weeks since the arrest, Griner has already pleaded out and any inertia on the part of the WNBA and USA Basketball shouldn't be excused. Every league needs to hold to a better societal standard.

"The fact that she's already taken the plea, I don't think it's a legitimate reason for a delay," said Nicole Ford, a longtime domestic violence attorney based in San Francisco. "To say we're still gathering evidence, she took a plea, that's her admitting it happened. They're protecting their trademark, their brand. That's more important than anything."

Griner pulled out of this week's USA Basketball camp in Las Vegas, and the response from coach Carol Callan to ESPN was this:

"As you can imagine, the last couple of weeks have been difficult for her and she has a lot going through her mind. We understand, and she has our support."

That kind of reassurance would have been widely decried if, say, LeBron James had been arrested for domestic violence, took a plea deal, and Mike Krzyzewski expressed his support.

Callan went on: "Clearly [domestic violence] is an important issue in this country and something we do have to look at, but it's not just a one-person situation. There were several people involved. So we are trying to continue to gather information before we make any statement on that issue."

That's hardly a condemnation of domestic violence. Saying "it's not just a one-person situation" is a little too close to "there are two sides to every story," which is often used to downplay a victim's version of events. Yes, two people were involved – two people are always involved in domestic violence situations – but again Griner has already pleaded guilty, which should be enough to deplore the entire incident.

USA Basketball need only consult its own code of conduct, the first tenet of which calls for "behavior and attitude reflective of respect for self and others both on and off the basketball court."

Clearly that did not happen here.

No, this does not warrant a lifetime ban or some draconian suspension. What Griner did is not on the level of Floyd Mayweather. This is not like the Greg Hardy incident, where assault weapons were involved. But to offer such a bland response is disrespectful, particularly to the women's basketball audience, which consists largely of females and children.

All domestic violence is bad. And all domestic violence is beneath the standards of a sports organization – especially one that gives athletes the chance to wear the American flag.

Griner, to her credit, seems to understand this.

"It is never OK for an argument to turn physical," she said last week in a statement. "This will never happen again, and I take my relationship and my responsibility as a role model seriously. I am committed to making positive changes and I plan to use what I have learned to set a good example and help make a difference in the world around me."

It's easy to rate domestic violence on a scale, based on the size and strength of the alleged perpetrator and the alleged victim. That's not a fully appropriate view of the dynamic involved, though. Violence in the home is often about power and threat, and physical force is not the only ingredient in that frightening mix.

"Domestic violence happens in same-sex couples, and it matters, and it's wrong," says Ford, who has worked with clients in the LGBT community. "In a lot of same-gender relationships, one of the biggest threats is, 'I'll out you.' "

Although Griner and Johnson are both out, Ford's example shows how emotional coercion can easily feed into physical confrontation in all relationships. That further underscores the need for all sports organizations to be vocal and strident on this issue.

In one particularly testy exchange in Congress last winter, Nevada senator Dean Heller grilled NFL Players Association representative Teri Patterson about what would be an appropriate punishment for an individual hitting his wife.

Patterson replied that the union "is not in the business of applying discipline."

Heller shot back: "You're either for stopping domestic violence, or you're not."

This holds true for the WNBA and USA Basketball as well. It's not enough to "gather information" after a plea agreement has already been settled upon. It's time to say something, and time to do something.


http://sports.yahoo.com/news/wnba--...-on-brittney-griner-says-a-lot-174351603.html

 

^Very well-written article. I agree with all of it.

 

Any opinions on gender neutrality? (Gender neutral bathrooms, gender neutral college dorm housing, gender neutral language, gender anonymity, etc.)

 

The WNBA figured it out this couldn't fly with a double standard and did the right thing with Brittney and Glory. Came down hard on them.

Griner, Johnson suspended record 7 games each by WNBA
By DOUG FEINBERG (AP Basketball Writer)52 minutes agoAP - Sports



PHOENIX, AZ - JULY 18: Brittney Griner #42 of the Phoenix Mercury and Glory Johnson #25 of the Tulsa …

NEW YORK (AP) -- WNBA stars Brittney Grinerand Glory Johnson were suspended seven games each Friday for their domestic violence arrest last month - the league's longest ban in its 19-year history.


WNBA President Laurel Richie said the league ''takes all acts of violence extremely seriously'' in handing down a suspension that represents nearly one-fifth of the 34-game regular season. Richie called the players' actions ''unacceptable.''

''Brittney and Glory's conduct is detrimental to the best interests of the WNBA and violates applicable law,'' Richie said in a statement. ''We also understand that people make mistakes, and that education and training are as important as imposing discipline.''

Griner plays for the defending champion Phoenix Mercury and Johnson for the Tulsa Shock. The penalties come with both teams to open camp Sunday and the league season to begin June 5.

The WNBA said the two All-Stars - who got married last week in Phoenix - must undergo individual counseling. If either fails to comply with that condition or those by the court, the league reserves the right to revisit the case.

''It is our strong belief that violence has absolutely no place in society, in sports or in this league,'' Richie said. ''As president, it is my responsibility to protect the league and uphold its values.''

The two All-Stars were arrested April 22 on suspicion of assault after they fought in a home they recently bought. Griner pled guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct and entered a diversion program. The assault charge was dismissed. She must attend 26 weeks of domestic violence counseling. All charges will be dismissed if she completes counseling. Johnson's case was transferred to county court and is still pending.

The league spent the last few weeks investigating. The WNBA said Johnson pushed Griner in the shoulder and she responded by pushing her in the back of the neck. The confrontation escalated to include wrestling, punches, and the throwing and swinging of objects. The 6-foot-8 Griner received a bite wound on her finger and scratches on her wrist; the 6-4 Johnson received a scratch above her lip and was diagnosed with a concussion.

The Mercury open the season June 5 against San Antonio. If she doesn't appeal, Griner will be eligible to return against Minnesota on June 27. The Mercury play Johnson's Shock two games later on July 2. Johnson's first game back would be June 26 against New York.

''We appreciate the league's due diligence in investigating and making a decision in this matter,'' Shock President Steve Swetoha in a statement. ''As an organization we strongly agree with President Richie's statement that there is no place for violence in our league, in our communities, or in society.''

The longest suspension until now had been for six games, given to Kara Braxton in 2009 after her second DUI.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/griner-johnson-suspended-7-games-wnba-164842978--wnba.html