Brittney Griner, a 10-time WNBA All-Star, did not attend a speaking engagement she was scheduled for near Washington, D.C. The Atlanta Dream center’s absence was prompted by a note she found outside her hotel room in National Harbor, Maryland. Griner was set to speak at the Women Grow Leadership Summit on February 17, but event organizers notified attendees that she withdrew after encountering “threatening objects and words” near her hotel room.
The note reportedly included the phrase “Gay Baby Jail,” which was written on duct tape. The Prince George’s County Police Department has confirmed that an investigation is underway at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, where the conference was held.
According to a statement from the police, detectives have determined that the phrase “gay baby jail” is often used in video game contexts. At the time the tape was found, a large convention was occurring at the Gaylord, attracting thousands of attendees, including anime and video game fans. Currently, detectives have found no connection to or threat against Griner.
Women Grow, the organization hosting the summit, aims to empower women in the cannabis industry. Dr. Chanda Macias, CEO of Women Grow, mentioned that hotel staff suggested the message was a cruel joke left by a previous guest and was not removed by housekeeping.
Investigators are working to identify who placed the tape, when it was done, and the intent behind it. Griner publicly discussed her sexuality for the first time in a 2013 interview with Sports Illustrated, where she reflected on the differences in public acceptance for male and female athletes. She emphasized the importance of being true to oneself and not worrying about others’ opinions.
Griner, a two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, has been married to Cherelle Griner since 2019, and the couple welcomed their first child in July 2024. After spending the first 11 seasons of her WNBA career with the Phoenix Mercury, she signed a contract with the Dream in January.
