The Toronto Tempo debuted a new “non-binary” mascot ahead of their WNBA matchup with the Indiana Fever in an apparent swipe at controversial star Sophie Cunningham.
The Tempo revealed Dez, a butch, non-binary Borealis Blue Snapping Turtle who uses she/they pronouns and “has a fondness for soft shell tacos,” the team said in an Tuesday announcement unveiling the new mascot.
Dez also has a partner in crime, anthropomorphic arctic hare named Dot who uses standard she/her pronouns.
Dez is a Taurus, the team made sure to include in its announcement.
It joins the Seattle Storm’s Doppler as the only two non-binary mascots in the WNBA.
The Tempo made a point to announce the new, queer turtle totem during their home game against the Indiana Fever — and their guard Cunningham who has been outspoken about defending girls and women’s sports from transgender athletes.
The Fever beat the Tempo, 101-95.
Cunningham scored 13 points on 3-of-4 shooting, going 3-for-3 from behind the arc while snatching two rebounds and dishing out two more assists.
The 30-year-old Missouri native set off the ongoing controversy — rallies backing and bashing Cunningham have popped up at several Fever road games — with comments made during an interview earlier this month.
“I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men,” she told ESPN on Aug. 5, later defending her remarks as “common sense.”
“I think there is room for absolutely everyone here, and I think there is room to love everyone,” Cunningham said. “I truly think when you get people in the same room and you have conversations, you actually have a lot in common with a lot of people. And so I’m there to love.
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Those comments, which align with the overwhelming majority of popular opinion in America, were not welcomed by WNBA players.
On Aug. 8, the league’s players’ union issued a statement, writing in part, “We embrace justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.”
Cunningham, meanwhile, was on the receiving end of a flagrant foul from Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington, who was thrown out of the game after clotheslining the Fever star — and immediately took to social media in the locker room to call out “white privilege.”
