Image:  Facebook

Foul on Me?

I need you to tell me if I'm being too sensitive.

It feels like something has shifted in women's basketball. Over the last couple of years, I've noticed an affinity, especially among Black college players, for wearing false eyelashes on the court. During the NCAA tournament, Champion repeatedly ran an ad featuring empowered and sensual young female athletes, the leader of whom didn't have nails so much as lacquered talons. Yesterday during the WNBA draft, the announcers gushed over players being fashion plates.

It's enough to make a curmudgeonly lesbian suspicious. And nauseous.

Is homophobia at the root of this push to feminize players? Are young athletes feeling the need to scream they're not dykes? Or is there just a whole lot of self-expression going on, and I'm too jaundiced to see it?

Help me. I've jumped to a conclusion and I can't get down.