The crypto bros behind the rash of sex toys being thrown at WNBA games are not funny, creative, rebellious or any of the other glowing narratives they’ve imagined for themselves.
They’re misogynists, showcasing their immaturity and insecurity in the oldest way possible. The WNBA and its players have reached a level of popularity usually reserved for male athletes and leagues, a level of popularity these man-babies can only dream of.
Whatever message they’re claiming to be wanting to send about the toxicity of the crypto industry is negated by the callout to the long history of slapping down women who dare invade the male sanctuary of sports. And doing so with the kind of “humor” that has the demeaning of women at its very core.
These aren’t pranks. This is a coordinated campaign of harassment designed to remind WNBA players and their fans that, for all the progress women’s sports have made in the last few years, the playing field will never be level if they have anything to say about it.
“It’s a sobering reminder of the power of misogyny and the pervasiveness of misogyny and homophobia in our culture,” said Cheryl Cooky, a professor at Purdue University who studies the intersection of gender, sport and culture.
