Angel Reese’s Tearful Response to Sexist and Racist Online Criticism Is Required Listening
“I’ve been attacked so many times, death threats, I’ve been sexualized, I’ve been threatened,” the LSU star said in a post-game press conference on Monday.
Photo: Screenshot Latest
On Monday night, the Iowa Hawkeyes advanced to the Final Four in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, beating the LSU Tigers. For fans of the former, it was something of a karmic victory given the Tigers defeated the Hawkeyes to become the 2023 champions. And, of course, the masses—fans or not—are still talking about that largely imagined rivalry between the teams’ respective standouts, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
Last year, Reese—the 21-year-old star forward—suffered an onslaught of sexist and racist scrutiny after she *reviews footage* played and celebrated the very same ways Clark did. In the final seconds of the championship game, with the title all but secured for LSU, Reese directed John Cena’s infamous “you can’t see me” gesture at Clark. Then, after the buzzer sounded, Reese tapped her ring finger. The response was swift and overwhelmingly negative. Reese was repeatedly called a “thug” and worse. Meanwhile, one week earlier, when Iowa took down Louisville in the Elite Eight, Clark made the same gesture to public laudation. Cena himself gave Clark his stamp of approval and Sports Illustrated wrote that Clark “had some fun late in the game when she performed one of the most savage celebrations you’ll ever see.” Since then, both players have expressed their respect for the other on multiple occasions, but the onslaught of misogynoir hasn’t relented.
For the first time, Reese addressed all of the backlash in a post-game press conference.
“I’ve been attacked so many times, death threats, I’ve been sexualized, I’ve been threatened, I’ve been so many things, and I’ve stood strong every single time,” Reese said through tears after Monday night’s loss. “I just try to stand strong for my teammates because I don’t want them to see me down and not be there for them. All this has happened since I won the national championship. It sucks, but I still wouldn’t change.”