In the nearly seven months since the Minnesota Lynx won the WNBA championship, the team has still received no invitation from the White House, according to a Thursday Washington Post report.
“It’s hard not to think that gender is playing a role here because of the consistency with which men’s teams are being invited and celebrated,” coach Cheryl Reeve told the Washington Post. “I think it reflects the priorities of this particular administration.”
Reeve pointed out that Trump has hosted many men’s teams since taking office, and that in 2017, the women’s winning NCAA team was lumped into an invite with multiple teams, while the men’s winner was in individual talks with the White House.
Re White House:
1) President’s have recognized WNBA Champs dating back to Houston Comets
2) Golden State, UNC MBB, Bama Fball, Astros received an invite/visited within months of ‘ship.
3) Womens collegiate champs lumped together in 1 ceremony
4) WNBA Champs = no invite https://t.co/qBtkmXQciw— Cheryl Reeve (@LynxCoachReeve) May 3, 2018
“It’s disappointing,” Reeve told the Post. “For us, it sort of went with the territory after you win a championship. President Obama sort of spoiled us in terms of establishing this expectation to be recognized. The phone call was one to congratulate, sort of talking about the series, and then as we ended the call it was an invite.
“I’d love to hear what is the reason why championships that have been celebrated since this inception of our league — we’ve been around for 20-plus years — why the sudden change?” Reeve added.
