What does it mean to be a woman in 2023? That’s the question the WNBA has been avoiding for weeks, and it’s a question that feels more urgent than ever. Here we are, in the middle of a cultural reckoning over gender identity, and the league that once prided itself on being a beacon for women’s empowerment is now playing coy. It’s almost poetic, isn’t it? The same organization that once demanded we all ‘stand for women’ now seems to be scrambling to redefine what that even means.
Let’s talk about Cathy Engelbert. The WNBA commissioner, who once spent a press conference in 2019 dropping the word ‘woman’ like it was a mantra—33 times, to be exact. She spoke of ‘women’s leadership,’ ‘women’s advancement,’ and ‘women’s initiatives’ with the fervor of someone who’d built her entire career on those words. She even bragged about being a woman in a man’s world, citing her five brothers and her male-dominated college experience. It’s hard not to wonder: Did she ever imagine that one day, the very definition of ‘woman’ she championed would be under attack? Or worse, that she’d be the one dodging the question?
Here’s what makes this particularly fascinating: Engelbert’s current silence feels like a betrayal of her own narrative. She built her brand on being a trailblazer for women, yet now she’s the one who can’t seem to commit to a definition. It’s not just about semantics—it’s about identity. When you spend decades positioning yourself as a champion for women’s rights, you can’t just wave the flag and then hide behind it when the flag gets dirty. This isn’t just about the WNBA; it’s about the credibility of anyone who claims to fight for women’s causes without being willing to defend their own terms.
And let’s not forget the irony. The league that once pushed ‘Black Lives Matter’ with relentless zeal now wants to distance itself from anything that might disrupt its carefully curated image. They’ve spent years making politics part of their product, yet now they’re accusing fans of using players as pawns. It’s a classic case of having your cake and eating it too. If you want to be a platform for social justice, you can’t suddenly turn into a corporate entity that avoids uncomfortable conversations. The WNBA’s task force is a joke—a group of people who’ve spent days debating a question that’s been answered in every courtroom, textbook, and biology class for decades.
What this really suggests is that the WNBA is caught in a paradox. They want to be both a revolutionary force and a safe space, but those two things don’t coexist. When you invite trans athletes into women’s sports, you’re not just changing the rules—you’re changing the very foundation of what those sports represent. And yet, the league is too afraid to acknowledge that. They’re too busy blaming the media and the public for creating division, as if the issue wasn’t self-inflicted. It’s a coward’s way out, and it’s hurting the league’s credibility.
Personally, I think the WNBA needs to take a hard look at its priorities. If they’re serious about women’s empowerment, they should be leading the conversation—not hiding from it. They should be setting the standard for inclusivity, not playing catch-up with the rest of the world. But instead, we’re left with a commissioner who once spoke passionately about women’s leadership and now can’t even define the word. It’s a sad commentary on where we are as a society—and where the WNBA wants to be.
What many people don’t realize is that this isn’t just about sports. It’s about the erosion of clear definitions in a world that’s increasingly uncomfortable with absolutes. The WNBA’s struggle to define ‘woman’ is a microcosm of a much larger cultural shift. And if the league doesn’t find its voice soon, it risks becoming a relic of a bygone era—one where the word ‘woman’ was simple, clear, and unshakable.
