‘Fake. Transparent. Sad’: A former Fox News host disrespects efforts to support Black women in sports

Former Fox News host Megyn Kelly attacked Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) player Caitlin Clark for striving to acknowledge and support Black women in sports.

Clark is one of the fastest-rising stars in women’s basketball and has been described as one of the best collegiate players of all time. She has had a profound impact on women’s basketball, including helping to popularize and generate interest in the sport. Recently, she was named TIME’s “Athlete of the Year.” It’s an honor she absolutely deserves and has earned through hard work. Even so, she wanted to take a moment to acknowledge her privilege and the history of Black women in the WNBA. While she emphasized that she “earned every single thing,” she also knows that “there is privilege.” She has received tons of visibility in the sport and simply wants that same acknowledgment for Black women. Clark stated:

A lot of those players in the league that have been really good have been Black players. This league has kind of been built on them. The more we can appreciate that, highlight that, talk about that, and then continue to have brands and companies invest in those players that have made this league incredible, I think it’s very important. I have to continue to try to change that. The more we can elevate Black women, that’s going to be a beautiful thing.

There was nothing untoward about her statement. She simply acknowledged that she had received the attention and visibility she deserved as a basketball player and wanted Black players to have the same experience. Of course, like clockwork, conservatives started melting down over the small show of support for Black women in sports.

Megyn Kelly loses it over Caitlin Clark’s statement

For some reason, political commentator and Trump supporter Kelly was deeply triggered by Clark’s statement. She wasted no time in twisting it into something it wasn’t and claiming that the WNBA player was “apologizing for being white and getting attention.” She bemoaned the “self-flagellation” of Clark’s statement with her typical dramatic flair. Then, she began to mock her, insisting she was “Condescending. Fake. Transparent. Sad.”

Kelly’s statement is quite bizarre, considering Clark didn’t apologize for anything. She unapologetically said, “I’ve earned every single thing.” Acknowledging white privilege doesn’t mean that she’s saying she doesn’t deserve attention or that she hasn’t worked hard for her position. It’s a simple acknowledgment that the path to “Player of the Year” might be different for a white athlete than a Black athlete and that Black athletes’ achievements might not always be elevated as they should be.

Countless times in recent years, double standards between Black and white athletes have been highlighted. Just last year, Clark earned a shoutout from celebrity John Cena when she did his “you can’t see me” gesture on the court. However, when Angel Reese made the same gesture two games later, she was called a “f*****g idiot” and slammed for her supposed poor sportsmanship. That’s just one of many examples of how Black athletes are treated differently than white athletes. This fact has been repeatedly highlighted by athletes’ experiences, from Sha’Carri Richardson to Simone Biles to Angel Reese to Colin Kaepernick.

Athletes like Clark have a major platform and are in a position to support their fellow athletes. So, when they do, it’s a wonderful thing that demonstrates a lot of maturity and awareness. It’s strange how conservatives, who are always the very first to call out Black athletes for any perceived unsportsmanlike conduct, are suddenly enraged that a woman showed support for her fellow athletes.