Chicago Sky head coach and general manager James Wade and Senator Dick Durbin are reacting to the release of Brittney Griner.
"For the entire LGBTQ community and women's basketball fans, this is a big deal," said Anna DeShawn, radio host.
"There was this heightened level of concern for Brittney's safety, specifically because of her identity as a black and out queer woman," said Latonya Maley, executive director of Affinity Community Services. "It feels like our public officials heard us and responded. And that is exactly the kind of news that I feel like we need right now.""I'm happy that she was released," Durbin said. "It was a political prosecution.
U.S. officials say Russia rejected an offer for the release of Griner, along with American Paul Whelan, who has been detained in Russia since 2018 on suspicion of spying. "Griner hadn't done something wrong. She was not a real criminal, you know, Victor, was a real criminal. And so in this sense, I think Russia probable views this as winning," said Northwestern University political science professor Jordan Gans-Morse.
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