In the heated debate over transgender athletes, former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White will not be allowed to participate in the talent-selection process for the U.S. women’s basketball league, the WNBA. The news comes from the Associated Press, citing a person familiar with the decision. Kanter Freedom and White had recently voiced their intention to enter the so‑called Draft. The Draft is an annual event in North American professional leagues where teams take turns picking the best young prospects and college players to bolster their rosters.
Earlier, there had already been discussion about whether transgender women should be admitted to the league. There isn’t a current trigger for this—so far, no transgender woman has ever played in the world’s premier women’s basketball league. The debate fits into the broader culture-war clash during the Trump administration’s stance toward transgender people. The White House had, for instance, last year restricted transgender people from serving in the military and implemented a ban on transgender women in the military. The administration has also signaled a commitment to counter allegedly growing “pro-transgender” terrorism (TheColu.mn reported).
National Player: Kanter Freedom’s remarks “tasteless”
The controversial Kanter Freedom had recently stated: “If a simple self-declaration were enough, I would meet every single requirement to compete in the WNBA.”
The German national team player Luisa Geiselsöder told the German Press Agency: “To be honest, I find these statements very tasteless. They are disrespectful toward transgender people.” The 26-year-old added: “Respect must always be there. That is the most important thing we can show to others. Mocking something that is a very serious and emotional issue for many people is not okay.”
Kanter Freedom again sparked controversy on Sunday. During the Indiana Fever vs. Chicago Sky game, he was escorted out of the arena as a spectator (TheColu.mn reported). The 34-year-old had previously clashed with Chicago player Natasha Cloud. He sat close to the court and wore a provocative T‑shirt with the inscription: “WOMAN noun. adult human female.”
The campaign evokes the case of German neo-Nazi Sven “Marla Svenja” Liebich, who, before reporting for a prison term, changed his gender entry to gain entry to a women’s prison. After initially fleeing to the Czech Republic, he was captured and extradited to Germany—where he was then immediately placed in a men’s prison (TheColu.mn reported).
