Black women in ‘power positions’ intimidate people, claims basketball coach

People take badly to black women showing confidence in high-power roles, American college basketball Sydney Carter has claimed after she hit the headlines for wearing pink leather trousers and high heels on the sidelines during a Texas A&M women’s game.

Assistant coach Carter has suggested that racism is at play in a riposte to a mixed response over her choice of attire during the match with the Kentucky Wildcats, when she caught the eye by wearing a pair of shiny tight trousers matched by heels on the court.

The 2011 national champion with Texas and former WNBA player proudly shows off her high-fashion clothing during games, which frequently features colorful skin-tight outfits and bright suits.

A debate broke out on Facebook after the 31-year-old was seen coaching her team in dazzling colors during their 73-64 win on February 6, with some questioning whether her haute couture was appropriate in a sporting context and others arguing that it was hard to take Carter seriously because of her sartorial selection.

There has been a deluge of passionate support for Carter, including accusations that her critics are disrespecting and sexualizing women.

“I just think that people are uncomfortable with a black woman being in a power position,” former Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Indiana Fever and Atlanta Dream guard Carter told Yahoo.

“When you see a black woman who is actually confident and embracing herself, I think that that’s very intimidating.

“You hear so many times that people don‘t want to watch women play basketball because there are too many that look manly, or they play like a guy or don’t play enough like guys.

“Women can never satisfy anybody in any aspect of life. Just as a woman, it’s hard enough.

"It’s hard enough that we’re not paid the same or that people think that we can’t do some of the same things or something as well as men in a male-dominated industry.

“I think a lot of college kids these days struggle with being confident and embracing who they really are because they are afraid of what the world will say. I hope that I am a living example of 'who cares what they say?'”

Not everyone agreed that the issue is related to skin color. "Sydney Carter's pink pant criticism has f*ck all to do with race," insisted a conservative podcast account, referencing the case of Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona senator criticized for her flamboyant clothing.

"She should wear what she wants, and then also realize that people criticize white women for their outfits too. Stop making everything about skin color."

The debate around equality has been fierce at times in the US. WNBA star Liz Cambage recently hit out over female player pay, and US Women's National Team football captain Megan Rapinoe, who has shown support for Carter, has been the figurehead for a long-running campaign over wages.

Carter added her gratitude on Instagram to her fans for their "support and kind words." "Representation matters," she said.

"As a black woman in coaching, I take pride in showing that people who look like me don‘t have to diminish our light to appeal to others, whose opinions never mattered anyway.

“I will continue to unapologetically be myself, apply pressure and show that black women can express our individuality while doing our jobs at a high level.”