Even though it's Tuesday morning as we jot this down, she's steer cleared of clarifying why she posted that particular video on Saturday, amidst the backlash from many folks in college basketball and the WNBA, alongside fans.
The clip posted by Hidalgo on her Insta shows Candace Owens, known for her right-wing views, laying into gay marriage and hinting that homosexual relationships are sinful.
While Hidalgo didn't flat out condone Owens' remarkssince the video also features Don Lemon of former CNN fame arguing the opposite sideshe's still tight-lipped facing accusations from the womens basketball sphere that anti-gay sentiments might resonate with her. Shes one of Notre Dame's ballers, in a sport where a ton of athletes are openly part of the LGBT+ crew.
Over in another corner, Korbin Albert of Notre Dame's women's footie fame has copped some jeers from fans representing Team USA this year after homophobic gibes popped up on her personal Instagram. Albert's owned up with an apology since then, and Emma Hayes, who's coaching the USWNT, put her weight behind Alberts character before picking her for this summer's Olympic gig, reports the Mirror US .
Against this tableau of contretemps, the scrutiny is intense on how players at Notre Damepresent and pastare perceiving members of the LGBT+ community, stirred up by what Hidalgo's chosen to put out there.
Claims have been made that women's basketball programmes at certain religious private institutions, such as Baylor, exclude LGBT+ athletes. This was highlighted when former Baylor star Brittney Griner discussed how ex-coach Kim Mulkey supposedly suppressed her identity.
"When I was at Baylor, I wasn't fully happy because I couldn't be all the way out," she revealed to ESPN in 2013. "It feels so good saying it: I am a strong, black lesbian woman. Every single time I say it, I feel so much better."
It wasn't until Mulkey exited Baylor for LSU that Griner had her jersey honoured; the Bears celebrated her by raising it to the rafters in the season past.
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The spotlight turned to Hidalgo following virality of her post last weekend, sparking immediate controversy, with implications for her WNBA Draft prospects yet unclear. On court, Hidalgo wowed right from her freshman year 2023-24 as a Fighting Irish, bagging First-Team All-American accolades.
Her performance at 19 did not go unnoticed by WNBA scouts, putting her in line for a top-five draft pick when she's draft-eligible in 2027. However, given the WNBAs status as one of the most socially aware professional sports leagues in America, Hidalgos personal beliefs might see her draft position suffer in future considerations.
Fans have inundated the comment sections of Hidalgo's previous social media posts, prior to the Candace Owens video, with demands for her to clarify her stance on gay rights.
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