The Toronto Tempo of the WNBA introduces a new turtle mascot during a home game against the Indiana Fever, featuring what the team describes as a “non-binary” character. New York Post reports the franchise presents the mascot as a queer turtle totem and highlights that it appears connected to guard Sophie Cunningham, a player for the Fever who has spoken publicly about protecting women’s sports.
Breitbart also says the Tempo debuts a “non-binary” turtle mascot—named Dez, a “butch” Borealis Blue Snapping Turtle—along with a companion named Dot. It characterizes the move as an apparent taunt directed at Cunningham. The two outlets align on the timing of the reveal, the use of queer/non-binary framing for the mascot, and the claim that the mascot is intended to target or provoke Cunningham, though they differ in how strongly they label it a direct taunt.
