Jemele Hill Takes Clear Stance On Caitlin Clark's 'White Privilege' Admission
12/13/2024 11:45 AM
It's been a big week for WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark.
On Tuesday, she was unveiled as TIME's Athlete of the Year and she discussed a lot about it and her rise to fame in the piece.
She also discussed how she thinks there is a level of privilege that she gains from being white.
"I want to say I've earned every single thing, but as a white person, there is privilege," Clark told TIME. "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."
These comments have caused quite a stir on social media but Jemele Hill completely agrees with Clark and clapped back at Riley Gaines, who disagrees with Clark.
"You're intentionally missing the point. White privilege is real, and sports is no exception. CC is self-aware enough to understand that Black women who have accomplished things similar to what she has haven't received the same marketing and endorsement opportunities. Prior to this year, every WNBA player who had their own shoe was white," part of Hill's tweet read.
"For a long time, even when Serena Williams was the No. 1 player in the world, Maria Sharapova made more money than her in endorsements because Serena wasn't considered a 'fit' for high-end brands. What's funny is that you can see the inequities that women face if they're white and for some reason, you want to play dumb when it's Black women," Hill concluded.
You're intentionally missing the point. White privilege is real, and sports is no exception. CC is self aware enough to understand that Black women who have accomplished things similar to what she has haven't received the same marketing and endorsement opportunities. Prior to…
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) December 13, 2024
We'll see if some people change their opinions on this topic now that they know how Clark feels about it.
Clark had an outstanding rookie season, averaging 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. She helped the Indiana Fever get into the WNBA Playoffs and won WNBA Rookie of the Year.
Related: Caitlin Clark Claims WNBA Career Has Benefitted From White Privilege
