Tuesday, April 4, 2023

GET ME REWRITE: How a hand gesture revealed a racist double standard

 

NPR, 4/3/3023
Here's what happened: LSU forward Angel Reese celebrated the Tigers' fourth-quarter lead (and imminent victory) by waving one hand in front of her face — a gesture popularized by the wrestler as "You Can't See Me" — and tapping her ring finger while looking pointedly at Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark. 
The moment quickly went viral, with commentators and observers criticizing Reese for what they perceived as unsportsmanlike taunting of Clark. The word "classless" even trended on Twitter. 
Reese is Black and Clark is white. [emphasis added]
Both players have been standouts at this year's March Madness: Reese, 20, was named Most Outstanding Player on Sunday, while 21-year-old Clark — who had already been named 2023 Player of the Year by several associations — broke multiple records at the tournament. She finished with 191 points, the most ever scored by any man or woman in a single NCAA tournament. 
And both players have used the same gesture at this year's March Madness: Clark waved a hand in front of her face two games earlier when Iowa beat Louisville to enter the Final Four. 
But she didn't get criticism for it. In fact, she earned praise, including from Cena himself.

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