Brittney Griner has long been a controversial figure in American basketball, her towering presence and undeniable talent often overshadowed by persistent whispers and speculation about her gender.
Standing at an imposing 6-foot-9, Griner has carved out a legendary career in the WNBA, yet her journey has been punctuated by rumors questioning whether she was born male—a narrative that has trailed her from the courts of Texas to the global stage. These speculations, fueled by her physical stature and deep voice, have swirled for years, often amplified by social media and tabloid chatter. However, despite the relentless curiosity, no credible evidence or official records exist to suggest that Griner was born anything other than female. To clarify once and for all: Brittney Griner identifies unequivocally as a woman and a lesbian, a truth she’s openly embraced throughout her life and career.
She was born on October 18, 1990, in Houston, Texas, and started playing basketball young. Her size made her special early on, and she really took off at Baylor University starting in 2009. There, she became a star, helping her team win a national championship in 2012 with a perfect 40-0 season. She was so good that in 2013, the Phoenix Mercury picked her first in the WNBA draft. Since then, she’s won a championship in 2014 and earned tons of All-Star spots, showing everyone she’s one of the best in the game.
But Griner’s life hasn’t been all smooth. On February 17, 2022, she got arrested in Russia at an airport. They found vape cartridges with a tiny bit of hash oil—less than a gram—in her bag, and called it drug smuggling. She said it was medical marijuana she used legally in Arizona for pain, but Russia doesn’t allow it. She was stuck there for almost 10 months, making news all over the world. During that time, some people used her arrest to bring up the old gender rumors again, even though they’re not true.
She finally came home on December 8, 2022, after a prisoner swap with the U.S. Back with the Mercury, she kept playing strong, not letting the talk slow her down. People might keep guessing about her gender because she looks different, but there’s no evidence she was born anything but a girl. She grew up as a girl in Houston and lives her life as a woman who loves women—open and proud.
Griner’s real story isn’t about rumors—it’s about how great she is at basketball. From her start in Texas to her college wins and her WNBA success, she’s shown she’s tough and real. Even after everything in Russia, she’s kept going, proving she’s more than the gossip. The chatter might not stop, but it doesn’t change who she is: a woman who’s changed basketball with her skills and heart.
