The Raptors are backpedaling after they released an ill-received video honoring women’s history month.
After initially releasing the video on social media, the Raptors deleted the clip and apologized.
“We’re an organization that prides itself on doing the right thing when it comes to inclusion and representation, and we made a mistake [Tuesday],” the Raptors told the Toronto Star in a statement.
“Our sincerest apologies to our players, our staff and our fans — we’ll work to do better today and every day after.”
The video had presented several players on the team with the question, “Beyonce said that girls run the world. Why do you think that’s true?”
“They are the only one that can procreate,” Malachi Flynn answered.
“They birth everybody,” Precious Achiuwa said.
Scottie Barnes added that “all women are great because they are queens.”
Before they deleted the video, the Raptors were mocked for even releasing it.
“Saved this before the Raptors inevitably deleted a new candidate for the who-the-hell-approved-this-sports-team-account-tweet hall of fame,” tweeted Molly Morrison, a social media manager for Bleacher Report.
This social clip ignited a Twitter firestorm and has been viewed over a million times since Wednesday.
“NOOOOOO HAHAHAH,” responded ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes.
“How are THESE the responses they chose to run?” asked Brody Logan, a morning anchor at NBC affiliate KSEE24 in Fresno. “How bad are the others?”
There was also some backlash to the backlash.
J.L. Fairchild, who describes himself as an aerospace engineer in his Twitter bio, responded, “Raptors deleted this because they said an objectively true thing. Only women can give birth.”
“Imagine pretending to be offended by this,” tweeted Jason Rantz, a conservative talk radio host on KTTH in Seattle and Tacoma.
“Toronto Sun said it was not inclusive because it acknowledged women give birth — they’re still pretending men can birth a child because #inclusivity and #equity.”