WNBA star Brittney Griner pulled out of a speaking event this week after discovering a disturbing note in her hotel room. The note, which contained the phrase “Gay Baby Jail,” was written on a piece of tape.
Griner, 34, was scheduled to speak at the Women Grow 2025 Leadership Summit in National Harbor, Maryland, on Monday. The event focuses on cannabis policy and industry. However, upon finding the offensive note in her room, she chose to leave the venue. TMZ first reported the incident.
Griner, who is openly gay, was previously imprisoned in Russia after vape canisters containing cannabis oil were found in her luggage at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in February 2022. She was convicted on drug charges in July 2022 but insisted she had no criminal intent. Griner was released in December of the same year in a prisoner swap arranged by the Biden administration.
Griner’s representatives have not yet responded to requests for comment.
The Prince George’s County Police Department reported that hotel staff at Gaylord National Resort discovered the tape with writing on it and alerted authorities. Detectives explained that the phrase “gay baby jail” is often used in video games, and at the time of the incident, a large convention related to anime and gaming was taking place at the resort.
“Detectives are investigating who placed the tape, when it was done, and the intent behind it,” a police spokesperson said. “So far, there is no evidence linking the message to any threat against the guest who found it.”
Police are asking anyone with information to come forward.
Chanda Macias, CEO of Women Grow, issued a statement in support of Griner on Wednesday: “Brittney Griner arrived to be with us but felt unsafe because of threatening objects and words left inside her hotel room. For her safety, she chose to return home.”
Macias added that the hotel assured the conference organizers that the incident was caused by a prior guest’s joke, which had been overlooked by cleaning staff. “Regardless of whether this was a targeted attack or an unfortunate coincidence, the entire Women Grow community and I wholeheartedly support Brittney’s decision and stand with her at this time,” Macias said.
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