Ahead of Game 4 of the WNBA Finals against the New York Liberty, star Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier spoke of another passion beyond the basketball court.
Lynx star Napheesa Collier advocates for reproductive rights while chasing WNBA title
“So many of our rights feel like they’re getting rolled back,” the Minnesota Lynx star said Friday before Game 4 of the WNBA finals.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
October 19, 2024 at 12:33AM
Collier is an outspoken advocate for reproductive rights. She’s carrying a message of supporting women’s right to choose and recently partnered with the country’s first over-the-counter birth control pill.
It’s not lost on her that the WNBA playoffs is coinciding with an unprecedented, overdue spotlight on women’s sports, particularly in professional basketball, but also in the political arena as the country decides whether to elect its first woman president.
“I feel like women’s sports is a reflection of society,” Collier said in an exclusive pregame interview Friday. “You see us growing, you see women in society getting more powerful. … Women are just on such a rise as a whole. So it’s really fun to be a part of that in a small way. Obviously, this is a game, things much bigger are happening. But to be a part of it anyway, it’s really exciting.”
Collier, 28, who is balancing her WNBA career with motherhood, explained why she has been so vocal on the issue of reproductive rights. “Because so many of our rights feel like they’re getting rolled back, and they are in danger of that happening. So we have to be able to vote accordingly.”
Reproductive rights and abortion access is a key issue for young women. Abortion has passed inflation as the top election issue for women under 30, according to a new survey by KFF, a health policy research, polling and news organization.
KFF surveyed 678 female voters Sept. 12 through Oct. 1. The follow-up survey group was supplemented with 29 Black women to ensure an adequate sample size of that group. Abortion is the “most important issue” for more than one in four Black women voters, the survey found.
It’s long been a key political issue, but has grown since 2022 when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, opening the door for states to impose abortion bans.
Gov. Tim Walz, running mate to Vice President Kamala Harris, has made abortion rights one of his central issues. He’s also taken heat from Republicans — both nationally and in Minnesota — for what they consider extreme abortion policies passed in Minnesota after Roe v. Wade was overturned.
Former President Donald Trump wants to leave it to states to decide their own abortion laws.
Head coach Cheryl Reeve was asked about Collier using her stage at this moment to speak out in support of reproductive rights.
“It’s obviously really important. All women’s health rights, but reproductive rights. It’s a strange thing to be in this time, talking about how we have to fight for these types of rights. It’s absurd. So, Phee using her voice is really impactful and we should all join her.”
With the election weeks away, Collier said people should be having more open and honest conversations about reproductive rights.
“I really want to help be able to take the stigma away from that, because it’s such a natural part of your body, and you should know what your rights are. You should know what your options are, and to be able to take control of your body.”
She said in the offseason, she will be taking that message to colleges to “create an open dialog about reproductive rights and sexual health.”
Staff writer Kent Youngblood contributed to this report.
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