This must be a shock to Tulsa and Phoenix fans alike. Engaged Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner and fiancé forward Glory Johnson of the Tulsa Shock became enraged at one another because of "weeks of stress" from purchasing a home together and their upcoming nuptials. The scuffle between the two resulted in a domestic violence assault charge for both, and for Griner, a sentence of 26 weeks in domestic violence counseling.
Griner has been a role model since her days of playing for the Baylor Bears while they went undefeated on the way to a national title. She also became a role model for a different reason, when she announced that she was a lesbian.
With all that responsibility of being a role model, the New York Daily News has her stating her case:
"It is never OK for an argument to turn physical. This will never happen again, and I take my relationship and my responsibility as a role model seriously. I am committed to making positive changes and I plan to use what I have learned to set a good example and help make a difference in the world around me."
If Dr. Jenn Berman had her way, she would allow Griner and Johnson to showcase their personal challenges publicaly by having them on her VH1 show Couples Therapy. The reasoning she gave TMZ:
"There's a lot of shame in the gay community when there is domestic violence because there is a kind of a sense of 'Hey, we've been fighting to be recognized as a couple and now we have this?!'"
We will see how committed Griner is to maintaining her role model status once she is done serving her sentence for domestic violence.
What are your thoughts on Brittney Griner? Do you believe this was the right punishment? Can she still be a role model? Tell us what you think.
