All it took was one confrontation for Enes Kanter Freedom to expose his anti-trans crusade for exactly what it is: a giant publicity stunt.
The NBA vet-turned-homophobic troll was ejected Sunday from a WNBA game in Chicago. Sitting courtside in a black t-shirt that read, “WOMAN noun. adult human female,” the former player attended the game to draw attention to himself.
When a timeout was called late in the third quarter, Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud headed over toward Kanter Freedom and started shouting at him. An out queer Black woman and strong proponent of LGBTQ+ rights, Cloud clearly took offense to Kanter Freedom’s self-serving antics.
While Cloud’s coach and teammates held her back, a security official ejected Kanter Freedom from the game–an obvious sign that he wasn’t sitting there quietly and minding his own business.
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To draw further attention to himself, Kanter Freedom pumped his fist and mocked Cloud with a hand gesture. Arguing with security, he held up his shirt and basked in the crowd’s jeers.
On his way out, Kanter Freedom continued arguing with security. Chicago Police eventually escorted him outside.
On Threads after the game, Cloud told the trans community she will always stand up for them.
“You are apart of MY community & tribe,” she posted. “You belong. You’re loved. You’re seen. You’re perfect as you are & you will always be protected by me.”
The Chicago Sky were hosting the Indiana Fever Sunday, which is presumably why Kanter Freedom was in attendance. Fever player Sophie Cunningham has emerged as an anti-trans martyr after telling ESPN that she wants to “protect young girls” in the locker room and from playing against “biological men.”
As a result, she’s become the center of the very debate that she claims she wants to avoid.
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Conversely, Kanter Freedom, who once earned accolades for publicly campaigning against Turkey’s authoritarian government, is taking up this cause for one reason: himself. Earlier this month, he declared he was changing his gender identity and entering next year’s WNBA Draft.
Soon after, Royce White, another homophobic ex-NBA player, added to the circus and declared for the draft as well. (White recently ran for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate in Minnesota and receive just 11% of the vote.)
If there was any doubt about Kanter Freedom’s true impetus, his behavior on Sunday confirms that his motivation is all about “me, me, me.”
Prior to getting ejected, he sparred with fans outside of the arena.
Once inside, Kanter Freedom stood on the court and put his hand over his heart during the national anthem. On X, he posted the video with corresponding conservative slop.
Fully aware that Kanter Freedom is exposing their movement as a sham, conservatives are begging him to stop. On Fox News, a Barstool personality complained that Kanter Freedom is going too far.
“It’s giving these people that are getting upset about it an escape hatch,” said Kayce Smith. “They’re not having to actual what is eligible in the WNBA. They’re able to say, ‘Look at these men. They’re mocking women athletes. They’re mocking transgender athletes.” They don’t actually have to answer the question.”
The question of whether trans woman should compete in elite women’s sports is nuanced and deserving of thoughtful debate. It’s also overblown, considering there are no out trans athletes at the pro level and less than 10 in the NCAA.
When put like that, maybe Kanter Freedom is performing a service. In showing his backside, he’s demonstrating the ridiculousness of the debate.
Conservatives don’t want to “protect women’s sports.” They want to mock women’s sports, and then bask in the boos.
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