In a surprising turn of events, Texas Senator Ted Cruz is set to make his film debut in a feature-length “comedy” that has stirred up significant controversy within the LGBTQ+ community. The film, titled “Lady Ballers,” directed and starring Jeremy Boreing, the founder of the Daily Wire, takes a questionable approach to mock transgender women’s inclusion in sports.
The trailer, recently released by the Daily Wire, showcases a storyline where a group of male athletes disguises themselves as women to dominate a women’s basketball league. The central theme revolves around the notion that these individuals, although lacking competitiveness against other cisgender men, can easily outperform women athletes. It perpetuates the harmful stereotype that all women are inherently bad at sports.
The film’s creator claims that its purpose is to highlight how simple it is for cisgender men to feign transgender identity and participate in women’s sports, a notion that lacks credibility in reality. There is no documented evidence of groups of cisgender men exploiting trans-inclusive regulations to take over women’s sports. Furthermore, genuine transgender athletes already face stringent barriers in their pursuit of athletic excellence, causing undue harm.
“Lady Ballers” doesn’t stop at mocking transgender women; it also takes aim at indigenous people, displays indifference toward women’s sports, and exhibits thinly-veiled digs at transgender icon Dylan Mulvaney and her Days of Girlhood TikTok series. The film features appearances by anti-trans activists Ben Shapiro and Riley Gaines and includes a puzzling cameo by Texas Republican Ted Cruz.
Despite the controversial content, Cruz proudly reposted the film trailer on social media, inviting talk-show host Jimmy Kimmel to take notes on how to create a “funny” basketball comedy. However, the reception of the “Lady Ballers” trailer has been less enthusiastic than anticipated. Critics argue that the film’s concept lacks originality and genuine humor, failing to address the real issues surrounding women’s sports integrity while perpetuating harmful stereotypes.
In essence, “Lady Ballers” is not merely a matter of humor; it’s a portrayal of insensitivity and prejudice towards transgender individuals and women. It misses the opportunity to satirize misogynistic individuals exploiting societal dynamics and, instead, perpetuates harmful narratives. As the controversy rages on, the film’s true impact remains to be seen, but it has undoubtedly sparked a contentious conversation within the LGBTQ+ community and beyond.