Toronto Raptors get SLAMMED over chilling Women’s History Month video of players ‘praising girls for giving birth to everyone’: Team apologizes and deletes post as critics attack bizarre focus ‘on our biology’
An effort by the Toronto Raptors to commemorate Women’s History Month has been criticized as “tone-deaf” due to statements made by players in a video produced by the team.
“Girls run the world because they give birth to everyone,” Precious Achiuwa said in the video, which has since been removed from social media.
“They’re the only ones that can reproduce,” point guard Malachi Flynn added.
The video begins with a question being asked to the players.
“Beyoncé said girls run the world,” the prompt read. “Why do you think that’s true?”
An effort by the Toronto Raptors to commemorate Women’s History Month has been criticized as “tone-deaf” due to statements made by players in a video produced by the team. “Girls run the world because they give birth to everyone,” Precious Achiuwa (right) said in a team-produced video that has since been removed from social media. “They’re the only ones that can reproduce,” added point guard Malachi Flynn (left).
Flynn and Achiuwa were criticized for allegedly reducing women to reproductive vessels
Sophomore forward Scottie Barnes responded that “all women are great because they’re all queens.”
The team eventually apologized after Flynn and Achiuwa were criticized for allegedly reducing women to reproductive vessels.
“The @Raptors should spend the next month educating their players about ways women are awesome outside of our biology,” one tweet read. ‘Not all women can or want to give birth.’
“This was the most tone-deaf thing I’d seen in a while,” read a tweet from sports media writer Andrew Bucholtz. “Well done for deciding to post that video, Raptors.”
“How bad were the other comments that these were the best?” asked Molly Morrison of Bleacher Report.
The Raptors, who have a Women’s Empowerment Night scheduled for March 14, have removed the video from social media and apologize.
“We are an organization that prides itself on doing the right thing when it comes to inclusion and representation, and we made a mistake (Tuesday),” the team statement read. “We sincerely apologize to our players, staff and fans – we will do our best to do better today and every day after.”
Not everyone was happy with the Raptors’ statement.
Former NBA center Andrew Bogut tore up the apology, painting it as an attempt to make amends with the trans community.
Soft as butter @Raptors apologizes because one of their players said only women can reproduce, during Women History Month!
“I’ll tell you,” Bogut continued.
‘Only WOMEN can have babies.
“Media: Not triggered or angry, laughing at how stupid this ideology is!”
But the core of the criticism seemed to focus on players who value women solely for their role in reproduction.
“Transphobes bend over to let the raptors blunder about trans women and ‘awakened culture’ instead of seeing the clear insinuation through that clip that men only see women as objects with which to procreate,” one critic tweeted. “what’s wrong with you.”
Not everyone was happy with the Raptors’ statement. Former NBA center Andrew Bogut tore up the apology and portrayed it as an attempt to make amends with the trans community
The core of the criticism seemed to focus on strictly valuing women for their reproductive role
