LPGA's Silence is Deafening Following Supreme Court's Decision to Overturn Roe v. Wade
Update: a few hours after publishing our column, which appears below in its entirety, the LPGA sent SI.com the following statement:
As the best female golfers in the world compete for the third Major championship of the year against the backdrop of the U.S. capital, we are concerned by the issues facing the country in the wake of yesterday’s Supreme Court decision. We are a diverse membership organization committed to equality and empowering women, and we encourage and support our employees and members in exercising their individual constitutional right to voice their opinions and vote, as this decision now places important women’s rights in the hands of state lawmakers. The LPGA is committed to this conversation and hopes we all strive for outcomes that ensure equality for women.
It's been more than 24 hours since the Supreme Court announced its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which provided women federal protection for abortions throughout the U.S.
This week, the LPGA, in conjunction with the PGA of America, is holding its third major championship of the year, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, at Congressional Country Club in the suburbs of Washington D.C., just 18 miles from the Supreme Court.
Many prominent sports leagues -- and men and women athletes -- expressed outrage at the 5 – 4 decision, but the world's top women’s golf tour has thus far remained silent.
The WNBA, plus several of its teams and individual players, spoke out against the ruling, either through statements or social media posts.
U.S. women’s national soccer team star Megan Rapinoe spoke to the media for nine minutes and touched on many different areas of the ruling.
Billie Jean King also weighed in. “This decision will not end abortion,” King wrote on Twitter. “What it will end is safe and legal access to this vital medical procedure. It is a sad day in the United States.”
LeBron James tweeted: “It’s ABSOLUTELY ABOUT POWER & CONTROL!!
LPGA Tour pro Marina Alex also shared her feelings.
Alex was not alone among her LPGA Tour colleagues. Several LPGA Tour players reacted to the news to Golfweek's Beth Ann Nichols while competing at the KPMG.
As of this writing, the LPGA and its commissioner, Mollie Marcoux Samaan, have not released a statement. I reached out to the LPGA, specifically the communications office, both by e-mail and text, with no response. I wanted to give them a chance to state a position, considering the importance of the issue.
There are other issues to address beyond politics -- specifically, what will Marcoux Samaan's organization do to help ensure the health and safety of LPGA Tour players?
Nike, Disney, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Uber, Netflix, Levi Strauss, Comcast-NBC Universal and J. Morgan Chase are among the companies that have released statements in support of employees that need to travel to obtain adequate health care.
Nike's statement reads: "No matter where our teammates are on their family planning journey — from contraception and abortion coverage, to pregnancy and family-building support through fertility, surrogacy and adoption benefits — we are here to support their decisions."
The LPGA has not indicated whether it will provide resources or support for its players and employees regarding reproductive rights. Making an impassioned plea for women’s reproductive rights when you are the LPGA seems like a slam dunk. What are they waiting for?
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