“The View” host, Sunny Hostin, recently found herself in a heated conversation about white privilege, beauty standards, and the world of professional basketball. Renowned for her outspoken views on matters of race and social justice, Hostin’s latest tirade targets Caitlin Clark, a white, heterosexual female WNBA star.
During Wednesday’s show, Hostin, a designated advocate for the WNBA Player’s Association, openly displayed her resentment towards Clark. In a surprising turn of events, Hostin’s annoyance stemmed from the star player’s ability to lure a significant amount of new fans and sponsorship opportunities. Contrarily, WNBA player Brittney Griner – black and openly gay – did not attract the same amount of attention.
Hostin remarked, “I’ve loved this sport for so long, if Caitlin Clark is the vehicle that will bring this sport to little 5-year-old girls playing in Harlem, I say bravo. I have no problem with that. But, I do think that there is a thing called pretty privilege, white privilege, tall privilege. We have to acknowledge that.”
Interestingly, Hostin never suggested direct prejudice against Clark due to her characteristics, but she left no stone unturned in emphasizing Clark’s “privileges” as her stumbling blocks to acceptance, which is somewhat paradoxical.
Outspokenly, Hostin blamed the existing stigma against the LGBTQ+ community as one of the reasons for people’s potential dislike of the WNBA – “70 percent of the WNBA is black, a third of the players are in the LGBTQ+ community. Who cares? They are great athletes!”
However, her inference appears flawed – if it’s because of race, the NBA wouldn’t be popular since the racial demographics of both leagues are strikingly similar. And, while it’s essential to address the stigma faced by the LGBTQ+ community, equating possible differences in popularity between two leagues to sexual orientation is questionable.
In addition, Hostin’s reference to Caitlin Clark’s attractiveness, branding it as ‘pretty privilege’, unjustly shifts the conversation from merit and talent to superficial aesthetics. This redirection detracts from the real issues at hand, homogenizing and trivializing the players’ considerable skillset and dedication to their sport.
Finally, it would be helpful if Hostin could set apart her personal bias while discussing sensitive loaded topics. She could then intelligently advocate for those marginalized, praise those deserving without contempt, and highlight the importance of equal opportunity in sports. It’s not about white, black, straight, or gay – it’s about building a society that recognizes and rewards merit, talent, and hard work across the board. If we can do this instead of focusing on the superficial attributes of individuals, we might stand a chance at combating these stigmas and prejudices head-on.
