Since her wrongful incarceration in Russia in February, Brittney Griner has been in the news every week. We’ve been discussing the unlawful detainment, but also the complex social and political aspects of the situation. Being a black, queer American woman during a time when tensions between Russia and the US are high due to the war in Ukraine, the conversations can get heated. One group of people that are listening whether we realize it or not is our children. In today’s internet-driven, globalized world, our children are going to hear things. The question is, how do we talk to them about such a complicated topic? This is what the experts say.
Why Do We Need To Talk To Our Kids About Brittney Griner?
Some of you may be wondering why talking to your kids about Brittney Griner is necessary. After all, they’re just kids, right? This topic is too complex and too “adult” for them, right? The issue is that your kids are going to hear things. Their friends at school will hear things and will repeat what they are hearing at home, on the news, or on the internet. Some of the things your kids hear might be untrue or damaging towards the black, female, and/or queer communities. It is important that we arm our children with the right information in order to speak out when they hear injustices. (1)
I know many parents will have difficulty talking to their children about this. After all, it involves drugs (a small amount of medically prescribed cannabis, but still), as well as the complex issue of racial and sexual injustice in the world. There are ways, however, to discuss it with your children to help them understand it better and be able to respond intelligently to their friends.
Read: Inside bleak prison Brittney Griner could be spending nine years in
How To Talk To Your Kids About Brittney Griner
Black, queer women are the most marginalized community in the United States, and also one of the most discriminated against around the world. We need to speak their names and our children need to know their names. By talking about these problems and teaching them why it is wrong, we can raise a generation of less racist and homophobic children, ultimately making the future a better place for all. Selena Harper McLaurin is the deputy director of Black Feminist Future, a political hub focused on galvanizing the political and social power of Black women, girls, and gender-expansive people towards liberation. These are her tips for talking to your children about Brittney Griner.
Starting The Conversation
First, begin by asking your children if they’ve heard of Brittney Griner. Next, ask them if you could take some time to talk about her with them. From there, McLaurin gives us some direction on how to talk about Brittney in a positive, open, and honest way that children will understand.
“Brittney is a very loved partner, friend, family member, and teammate. She plays basketball for a living and is one of the top female basketball players in the WNBA.”
Ask them if they enjoy basketball and if they want to do some research. You can print out photos of her playing basketball, of her with her wife and family, etc, and cut them out. Make it a fun, interactive way to explore and learn about Brittney Griner and her life. Make sure you are constantly asking if your children have questions throughout the process.
Talk To Them About Why Brittney Griner Was In Russia
Start by asking them if they knew that female basketball players make less than male players in the United States. You can further that by explaining to them that in general, in America, women make less than men. Tell them that black women, specifically, on average, are paid less than others. Ask them if they think that’s fair and what ideas they have to change that.
The next step is to then explain to them that this is why Brittney was in Russia in the first place. She has to play there in the off-season of the WNBA because she doesn’t make enough money playing in America. Again, keep talking to them about fairness and their ideas about how to improve it.
Talking About The Cannabis
How you choose to talk to your child about the cannabis that Brittney Griner had in her suitcase is up to you. If you wish to include the detail about what it was that she had in her suitcase that got her into trouble, you can. However, if you do not want to talk about cannabis or don’t think your child is ready, you can simply tell them that she had something in her suitcase that she didn’t realize was there that is not allowed in Russia. For example, McLaurin says saying this:
“About six months ago, Brittney was trying to come home from Russia, where she was playing basketball. She didn’t know that she was carrying a small item that isn’t allowed in Russia. They used this as an excuse to put her in jail. Brittney said, “I made an honest mistake.” How do you think we should handle mistakes?”
This is a great opportunity to talk to your kids about the importance of owning up to and learning from mistakes.
Read: Brittney Griner’s coach claims she would be home if she was a famous male athlete
How We Can Help
Once your child fully understands the situation and why Brittney Griner is in jail in Russia, you can now open up the conversation as to what we can do to help and support her. As American citizens, we can call on our government to help her. We can ask them to bring her home and make sure that she is protected and taken care of while she is in Russia. Tell them that it is important that we keep talking about Brittney until she is brought home. Finally, ask them how they think you can use the photos of her that you printed out to send a message to the government and continue the conversation about the famous basketball player.
Resources
Essence.com has done a great write-up about Brittney Griner’s life and rise to basketball stardom. Her story provides other great opportunities to talk to your kids about bullying, the importance of education, and how hard work and determination can take you far in life. Her story is certainly inspiring. (2)
Make sure you, as the parent, do your research ahead of time so that you can direct your child’s research. This is also an opportunity to teach your child about how to research topics properly and how to sift through the pile of information on the internet. You can teach them critical thinking skills about media bias, etc.
Finally, it is critically important that we continue the conversations about Brittney Griner. Not just with our children, but with our friends, families, colleagues, and others. We need to continue to compel our government to do more to get her home. Traditionally the United States doesn’t care as much about or put as much effort into things that affect black women, and less so black gay women. Let’s change that. Keep talking about Brittney Griner. Shout her name from the rooftops. Put her on your social media. Call out the government. Let’s get her home, and let’s make black, queer women matter in this country. (3)
Keep Reading: Justin Bieber Offers To Help Bring Brittney Griner Back To U.S.
Sources
- “We Need To Talk To Our Kids About Brittney Griner — Here’s How.” Romper. Tabitha St.Bernard-Jacobs. August 12, 2022.
- “Who Is Brittney Griner? A Detailed Look At The WNBA Player’s Life.” Essence. Brooklyn White. August 9, 2022.
- “We Need to Talk About Brittany Griner.” Dallas Weekly. Liz Dwyer . July 20, 2022.