'Pretty privilege and white privilege': The View co-host critiques Caitlin Clark's swift ascent to fame

Modified May 23, 2024 03:44 GMT

WNBA rookie Caitlin Clark's growing popularity continues to be a hot topic even outside the basketball realm. Among the latest to chime in was American talk show The View co-host Summy Hostin.

In a recent episode of the show, Hostin gave her take on the meteoric rise of the former University of Iowa standout, highlighting that Clark's fame is attributable to her being white and her sexuality as a straight woman.

The lawyer and journalist said:

"I do think that there is a thing called pretty privilege; there is a thing called White privilege; there is a thing called tall privilege, and we have to acknowledge that."

She went on to touch on Clark's sexuality:

"I do think she is more relatable to more people because she's White, because she's attractive, and unfortunately, there still is that stigma aganst the LGBTQ+ community.

"Seventy percent of the WNBA is Black. A third of the players are in the LGBTQ+ community and we have to do something about that stigma in this country.."

Check out what Hostin said below:

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Fellow co-host Whoopi Goldberg, though, moved to highlight that the attention Caitlin Clark is getting stems primarily from her being an excellent player and that her race, more so sexuality, is not the primary thing in all of it.

The View hosts' discussion was in relation to former ESPN host Jemele Hill's take that Clark's popularity brought about talks about her race and sexuality, in a piece that came on the LA Times.

Caitlin Clark achieved huge popularity in her last two years in Iowa, where she rewrote many basketball records, leading to her being selected as the top overall pick in this year's WNBA draft.

She has been a major draw for the WNBA games, including in away games, and has been attracting lucrative endorsement deals.

LeBron James acknowledges what Caitlin Clark is bringing to the WNBA

While Caitlin Clark's advent and effect on the WNBA is a matter for discussion for some quarters, NBA superstar LeBron James has acknowledged what the popular rookie has brought to the WNBA and women's basketball in general.

'The King' shared his thoughts on Clark in a recent episode of his Mind the Game Pod with JJ Redick, highlighting how the Indiana Fever guard has undeniably channeled long-sought attention to the WNBA.

James said of Caitlin Clark:

"The one thing that I love that she's bringing to her sport? More people want to watch. More people want to tune in. Don't get it twisted, don't get it f***ed up. Caitlin Clark is the reason why a lot of great things is gonna happen for the WNBA."

He went on to advice the young player to just block off the noise and focus on her game and getting better: