Getty Image / Anatoliy Cherkasov / NurPhoto
The Toronto Raptors have started off Women’s History Month by issuing an apology. This came after the team released a Women’s History Month tribute video that one Toronto news outlet called “misguided and rushed.”
In the video, Toronto Raptors stars Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn are asked to respond to the question of “Beyonce said girls run the world. Why do you think that’s true?”
There are a million ways that could be answered but those two players chose to talk about human reproduction…
Malachi Flynn says “they are the only ones who can procreate” while Achiuwa says “they birth everybody.”
The Toronto Raptors quickly deleted their Women’s History Month tribute video after it was evident there would be backlash but not before the Internet took notice.
Molly Morrison of Bleacher Report shared the video before it was taken down:
saved this before the raptors inevitably deleted
a new candidate for the who-the-hell-approved-this-sports-team-account-tweet hall of fame pic.twitter.com/mwI04AW1I3
— Molly Morrison (@mollyhannahm) March 1, 2023
Following the backlash over the Women’s History Month ‘tribute’ video, the Toronto Raptors released an apology according to Fox News. The team said:
“We’re an organization that prides itself on doing the right thing when it comes to inclusion and representation, and we made a mistake (Tuesday). Our sincerest apologies to our players, our staff and our fans – we’ll work to do better today and every day after.”
Of all the teams in the NBA to make a miscalculation like this, I wouldn’t expect it from the Toronto Raptors. Something about being the lone Canadian team makes me think they’re extra careful from a PR perspective.
Alas, the sports world was aghast at the video:
it somehow gets worse with every watch
— Molly Morrison (@mollyhannahm) March 1, 2023
Yikes. I didn’t even think about this:
i need someone in the raptors org to narc and show us the players’ answers that didn’t make the cut
— Kathryn Gimborys (@kathryngimborys) March 1, 2023
NEED it
— Molly Morrison (@mollyhannahm) March 2, 2023
The people want to know:
HAHAHA Why only 3 players, what did the others say? Who's idea was this?
— Luis Vázquez (@LuigiVM) March 1, 2023
Ultimately, the Toronto Raptors apologized and the world will move on. Toronto will hold a women’s empowerment tribute on March 14th when the Raptors host the Denver Nuggets.