WNBA star Brittney Griner was scheduled to speak at the Women Grow Leadership Summit in Maryland on Monday.
However, she was forced to pull out of the cannabis event after reportedly finding a threatening three-word message written on her hotel wall.
“Women Grow and our community are under attack in an effort to disrupt, intimidate, and silence us,” Women Grow CEO Chanda Macias told Marijuana Moment. “This is not just a threat against one person—it is a threat against all of us. This is unacceptable.”
“Brittney Griner arrived to be with us but felt unsafe because of threatening objects and words left inside her hotel room. For her safety, she chose to return home.”
Jul 29, 2024; Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France; United States center Brittney Griner (15) runs up-court during the first quarter against Japan during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
According to Macias, the words “Gay Baby Jail” were written in duct tape on the wall and were allegedly left by a previous guest.
“The Gaylord [hotel] has assured us that the conference and its guests are safe; they have represented that the threat at issue was a meme joke left by a prior guest and unfortunately missed by cleaning staff,” she said. “Regardless of whether this was a targeted attack or an unfortunate coincidence, the entire Women Grow community and I wholeheartedly support Brittney’s decision and stand with her at this time.”
“Attacking women for coming together to lead and create change will not stop us. We are actively working with the venue and authorities to investigate how this happened and hold those responsible accountable. The safety of every woman at this conference remains our top priority. Women Grow was founded on the belief that women should be able to lead without fear or intimidation. Our commitment to empowering women in cannabis is stronger than ever. We will not be silenced. We will continue on.”
Griner, who is openly gay, was previously imprisoned in Russia for marijuana possession.
