Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton
The WNBA has suspended Seattle Storm minority co-owner Celeste Keaton from attending the team’s next five home games after she berated two teenage girls for supporting Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham and her defense of women’s sports.
The league also imposed an undisclosed fine on the Storm following the ugly confrontation at Tuesday night’s game at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, according to ESPN.
The confrontation happened Tuesday night during the Storm’s home loss to the Fever at Climate Pledge Arena. The teenage girls wore XX-XY Athletics shirts highlighting biological sex and held a sign that read, “Thank you Sophie for speaking up for girls.”
According to their account on the unDivided podcast with Brandi Kruse, Keaton approached them, raised her voice, called them “f***ing insane,” and launched into a rant that left at least one of them in tears. Reports also indicate she invoked religion, telling them she hoped Jesus could forgive them.
This was Indiana’s first game after Cunningham told ESPN it is “common sense” to keep biological males out of women’s and girls’ sports. “I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men,” she said. She later doubled down: “I said what I said… I think it’s really important to protect children.”
Cunningham has repeatedly made clear that her position is not rooted in hatred toward transgender people. She has said there is room to love everyone while still telling the truth about biological differences and protecting female athletic opportunities.
The Seattle mob apparently did not get that message.
After the incident exploded across social media, Cunningham came to the defense of the teenage fans.
“You can disagree and still be kind,” Cunningham wrote before praising the girls for standing up for their beliefs.
She then blasted Keaton’s behavior as “truly embarrassing” and said it exposed the kind of leader the Storm co-owner is.
The Seattle Storm scrambled to contain the damage Wednesday by issuing an apology through majority owner Ginny Gilder.
The WNBA eventually stepped in, barring Keaton from Seattle’s next five home games and imposing the financial penalty.
Fox News Digital reported that the league confirmed the disciplinary action Thursday.
This article originally appeared on The Gateway Pundit.com.
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[ H/T WorldNetDaily ]
