WNBA star Brittney Griner remains incarcerated in Russia and has recently begun her sentence in Mordovia. While the State Department works to speed up the prisoner swap negotiations, an ordained Baptist clergyman has claimed that Griner’s marriage with a woman is making things difficult in her fight to freedom.

In the recent episode of the Drink Champs podcast, popular scholar Michael Eric Dyson joined N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN. Dyson is a former sociology professor at Georgetown University. In addition, he has also taught in other prestigious institutions like Columbia University and University of Pennsylvania. Apart from being a Baptist clergyman, Dyson has also researched extensively on the severe problems of the African-American community in modern-day society.

Is the Brittney Griner’s sexuality obstructing her freedom?

Dyson recently gave his take on why Brittney Griner was being treated so harshly in Russia. The former Sociology professor reckoned that BG received severe punishment due to her sexuality.?

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Dyson stated that Griner was being treated harshly by the Russian authorities because she challenged the sexual norms of society and culture. He added,?“There is no question that if she weren?t a woman who challenged the sexual norms…She’s married to a woman, but she’s a dominant ball player. She’s a phenomenal cultural icon. There is no question, even LeBron had to admit it.”

The respected clergyman suggested that Brittney Griner’s public marriage with Cherelle Griner and her sexuality was why she received an extremely strict sentence. Moreover, he claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin saw Brittney Griner’s arrest as an opportunity to leverage America.

Further, Dyson reckoned that Brittney Griner would have received more support if she were a straight Black woman. He said, “This Black woman, had she been anybody else ?even a straight Black woman would have received more support than a queer Black woman with a Black wife.”

Dyson believed that Griner was being used as a pawn by Putin in order to get back at America. Thus, it seems like the journey ahead for Brittney Griner to attain her freedom could be a tough one.?

Prisoner negotiation deal for Griner

The State Department proposed a prison swap deal earlier in July before Griner was sentenced by a Russian court. The Biden Administration offered to release convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout in exchange for Griner and US marine Paul Whelan. After a long silence, the Kremlin spoke positively about the swap negotiations recently.

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However, the US authorities have suggested that the negotiations were not moving forward so well. Meanwhile, the State Department is working tirelessly to secure Griner’s release, now that she is facing harsh conditions in a far-off penal colony.