Book 1 Post 2

I chose to read Brittney Griner’s In My Skin. I didn’t know much about her but I thought her autobiography would be interesting to read. From the news some years ago, I knew of a WNBA player being detained in Russia but I did not know that it was her until I looked her up. With most big controversies in the media, it’s easy to hear other people’s opinions about the situation, but hard to find what the person themselves who’s involved thinks about the situation. As I read along, her autobiography talked more about her challenges as a female in sports and having her sexuality being of public discussion. She talks about the conflicts she faced with her sexuality being unaccepted by her school, some of her coaches, and her father.


Most of her teammates were very accepting but she faced some opposition from her college, coaches, and her father. From a young age, she states that she had trouble fitting in with other kids at school, was bullied, and frequently got into fights. Because of this, she was forced to hide parts of her identity and felt a loss of freedom in her everyday life. Gradually, she started to show parts of who she was as a person, such as changing her clothing style and trying out basketball in middle school. Her father also never fully accepted her coming out, and she felt forced to move out of the house for a little bit because of her father's disapproval. Even now, she states that her and her father’s relationship is very superficial. She attended Baylor, which is a Christian university, and her sexuality also wasn’t fully accepted by the school. For example, if she wanted to tweet out something that showed her support for the LGBTQ+ community, her coach would tell her to keep that stuff private and take it down.


I think she broke a lot of boundaries when it comes to stereotypes for women and women’s basketball. She has always held the confidence to speak out and never strayed away from what she thinks is right. Despite a lot of opposition and disagreements she would get into with coaches and sometimes her parents, she has always stood up for herself and others. I think her story was very encouraging for people who may have had trouble fitting in and finding their own identity or voice in very rigid and unaccepting environments. After facing many hardships with her experiences in life, school, and her basketball career, I think that they have all made her into the strong person that she is today. Her story was very inspiring and it really showed the reader that she is more than just the person that we know behind the scandal. All in all, I really enjoyed this book.



Comments

  1. PRFebruary 15, 2024 at 6:20 PM

    Hi Lauren,
    While I chose a different book to read and analyze, I see a lot of similarities in the overarching themes in both.This is my first exposure to Brittney Griner as an author and hearing your description and reflection makes me motivated to explore her work. Just as the author of my book of choice, America Ferreira, describes discrimination and pressure to conform to social and cultural norms, it appears these themes appear in the book you read as well. It's interesting to see her reflection on the challenges she faced both as a minority in a predominately Christian school, and how she overcame these challenges. Overall, great post!
    -P.R.

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  2. AshleyFebruary 18, 2024 at 5:39 PM

    I similarly had never heard of Brittney Griner until I learned that she was the basketball player that was detained in Russia. I definitely think her story is worth telling as she has broken so many boundaries and has endured so much in her life and she definitely could serves as a great inspiration and role model for many people. This was a great post and I loved learning more about her as I didn't know much about her prior to reading your post!

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  3. Tina NguyenFebruary 20, 2024 at 4:43 PM

    Hi Lauren! I loved reading your blog post. I initially didn’t choose to read Brittney Griner’s In My Skin because I honestly didn’t have much interest in basketball. Additionally, I didn’t think I’d be able to relate to her story. However, after reading your blog post, I’ve truly come to realize what memoirs are about. Everyone is more than their job or that one thing they’re famous for, and Griner is no different. There’s so much more to her journey in basketball than just being a well known player. I’m excited to read this book in the future and I'm glad you enjoyed it as well!

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  4. Winston BurksFebruary 20, 2024 at 7:32 PM

    Hi Lauren, great post! Your discussion around all the boundaries Brittney Griner had break and all the challenges she had to overcome was inspiring. This last Sunday, Baylor retired her number and had a ceremony for her, so it is very interesting to learn how Baylor did not fully accept her because of her sexuality while she was there.

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  5. Judy JiangFebruary 20, 2024 at 10:41 PM

    Hi Lauren, thank you for sharing Griner’s book! Based on your description, her story sounds very relatable to a lot of females and minorities in this world, regardless if they play basketball or not. I often wonder if I will encounter any gender-related challenges in the “adult” world once I graduate, and it is people like Griner that can encourage and motivate other women to live freely and confidently. I would love to check out the book in the future!

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  6. Sofia DuranFebruary 21, 2024 at 10:57 AM

    Hi Lauren,

    I enjoyed reading your post, especially since I haven't read the book myself. I resonated with what you said at the beginning. In our information-overloaded world, it's often too easy to judge people's stories based solely on the versions we see in the news. Recognizing and reflecting on this helps us become more aware and avoid doing so. It's uplifting to hear that you were inspired by her story. I would love to read the book to have the same experience.

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