Soccer star Megan Rapinoe has responded to former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom's ejection from a recent WNBA game, where Freedom claimed he was present to "protect women." Rapinoe, speaking on her podcast "Why Are You Like This?", sarcastically addressed Freedom's comments and actions, labeling him a "bad-faith actor."
Freedom was escorted out of a game between the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever after a verbal exchange with Chicago Sky player Natasha Cloud. According to Freedom, Cloud directed a comment towards him referencing Fever player Sophie Cunningham, who has been involved in controversy regarding biological men in women's sports. Freedom stated he told Cloud he was "just here to protect women and support her."
Rapinoe, however, cast doubt on Freedom's intentions. "In fairness, you did warn us about men forcing their way into WNBA spaces. Lo and behold… Oh, you weren’t talking about yourself? OK," Rapinoe said mockingly. She accused individuals like Freedom of being the same type of people who previously criticized women's sports and attempted to limit women's participation, suggesting their current interest stems from the growing popularity and success of leagues like the WNBA.
"The rise in women’s sports and the rise of the popularity in all these sports leagues, particularly the W, has come hand-in-hand with the rise of this hate and discrimination," Rapinoe stated. She emphasized the importance of female athletes speaking out collectively against such issues.
Freedom has maintained that his stance is pro-woman, not anti-trans. He asserted that he was exercising his First Amendment right to freedom of speech by attending the game with a specific shirt on. Rapinoe concluded her remarks by stating, "we do not need men in the WNBA, or women’s sports in general, to make it successful."