Toronto WNBA team unveils new trans mascot with she/they pronouns amid ongoing PR crisis over male participation

Toronto Tempo introduced its new mascots during the team’s game against Indiana Fever on Tuesday night, with one of the new duo of mascots being a nonbinary turtle that goes by she/they pronouns. The introduction during the game against Fever was noteworthy, as Fever player Sophie Cunningham spoke out in July against trans participation in women’s sports, launching scrutiny against the league. 

The new mascots are Dez the Snapping Turtle and Dot the Arctic Hare. The team said in a press release, “Dez and Dot made their debut at Scotiabank Arena and brought two very different kinds of energy – and a shared sense of rhythm – to the court for the first time.”

Dez is described as being a “Borealis Blue Snapping Turtle from Muskoka, Ontario,” and has “she/they” pronouns. “Their name is inspired by decibel, a nod to their love of music and role as the more measured half of the duo. Dez is calm, clever and always thinking a few steps ahead.” 

Dot, who has “she/her” pronouns, is described as bringing “seemingly endless energy, acrobatics and enthusiasm to everything she does – making her the undisputed hype woman of the pair.”

“Together, Dez and Dot offer a new spin on one of the oldest pairings in storytelling: the tortoise and the hare. Instead of slow against fast, they are steady and swift – a reminder that knowing when to change pace can be just as important as the pace itself.”

The press release also notes the two mascots’ astrological signs, Dez being a “Taurus who spins the 1s and 2s in their spare time” that has a “particular fondness for soft shell tacos,” and Dot being a Gemini “whose hobbies can best be described as ‘hops and hype,’ and loves cotton candy. 

Whitney Bell, Chief Marketing Officer for Toronto Tempo, said, “From the beginning, we wanted our mascots to feel distinctly Tempo – rooted in who we are as a Canadian team. Dez and Dot have completely different personalities, but they’re better together. One knows when to slow things down, the other knows when to turn the energy all the way up. That balance felt like such a natural expression of Tempo, and we can’t wait for our fans to get to know them.” 

Tempo hosted the Fever at Scotiabank Arena Tuesday night, where the unveiling happened. Fever ultimately won 101 to 95. Fever guard Cunningham was booed by fans both outside and inside the arena. 

Prior to the game, protesters gathered outside the arena waving Pride flags and wearing shirts that read “Trans Kids Matter.” Cunningham was repeatedly booed during the game when she took possession of the ball.

Cunningham spoke out in July in defense of women’s sports, opposing biological males who identify as women from competing in women’s sports. Since then, multiple male former NBA players have said they would declare for the WNBA draft if the league does not change its rules, and the league convened an emergency task force on the issue of trans participation, only to come out the other side without a definition for what a woman is.