I would like to start off with a quote from the Chaos Theory:
"It has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly's wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world."
It can be amazing to see the extent as to how far a comment can lead to. A simple comment can have a whirlwind effect. There can be reprecussions for it. This is where Logan Paul comes in. He made a comment relating to the ongoing controversy surrounding Olympic boxer, Imane Khelif.
Logan Paul and his brother, Jake Paul, were some of the high-profile social media users who jumped on the bandwagon to make false accusations about the Algerian boxer, Imane Khelif.
Khelif defeated Italian boxer, Angela Carini, last Thursday after Carini retired from their bout 46 seconds into the first round, stating she’d "never been hit so hard in my life." The finish of the fight sparked a wave of transphobia from the usual anti-trans suspects on social media, claiming Khelif was a man and shouldn’t be allowed to compete against women.
The IBA’s statement last Wednesday regarding the inclusion of Khelif at the Olympics cites that she "did not undergo a testosterone examination" but, instead, was subjected to "a separate and recognised test, whereby the specifics remain confidential." No further information regarding the test, the lab that analysed the results, what she was being tested for or the organisation that oversaw the testing process has been divulged publicly.
At no point in the IBA’s statement does the organisation refer to Khelif as a man despite claims from some on social media.
That lack of transparency is relevant because of the IOC’s decision to sever ties with the IBA as its official governing body of Olympic boxing last year. The IOC cited a continued lack of financial transparency, ethical issues with referees and judges and a failure to complete governance reforms when deciding to end the relationship.
The Paul brothers took to Elon Musk’s X platform to express their feelings about the boxing match between Italian, Angela Carini and Khelif at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Carini abandoned the match after several blows to the face by Khelif, and one post on social media claimed the Algerian boxer was transgendered and assigned male at birth.
"This is the purest form of evil unfolding right before our eyes," Logan Paul said in a now-deleted post. "A man was allowed to beat up a woman on a global stage, crushing her life’s dream while fighting for her deceased father. This delusion must end."
Khelif has reportedly always identified as a woman and the confusion lies in the boxer being disqualified by the International Boxing Association last year for allegedly having XY chromosomes. However, the IOC disputed those claims and allowed Khelif to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics as she did in the 2020 Tokyo games.
After being called out on social media, Logan Paul issued a new statement where he admits he was wrong. "OOPSIES,” Logan Paul shared. "I might be guilty of spreading misinformation along with the entirety of this app."
He later added, "I stand by my sentiment that biological men should not compete against biological women in any sport and if you disagree you’re a sick f***." Logan Paul’s brother hasn’t issued a retraction to his prior messages where he called the match between Khelif and Carini "sickening@ and "a travesty."
Jake Paul also invited Carini to fight “when she is ready” at one of their boxing events from their Most Valuable Promotions.
JK Rowling and Elon Musk were other high-profile names that expressed their outrage on social media under false information. Neither the Harry Potter author nor the X owner has issued a correction.
Paul’s posts are abhorrent, but his status as a WWE wrestler gives them another layer. WWE’s annual "SummerSlam" took place this past Saturday from Cleveland, and a sizable amount of the marketing around the event has centered on Paul, who was born in the Cleveland suburb Westlake, where he defended his WWE United States championship in front of his hometown crowd. He ultimately lost.
The company also heavily features advertisements for Prime Energy at some of its events, including putting the Prime Energy logo on the ring canvas at Premium Live Events like "SummerSlam."
WWE itself is somewhat wishy-washy in regards to how its business practices intersect with the LGBTQ+ community.
The company features multiple out LGBTQ+ wrestlers on its roster and has seen some wrestlers, notably Chelsea Green, include messages of support for LGBTQ" populations in their ring gear, entrance gear and social media posts. It has sent representatives to GLAAD events in recent years, most notably out LGBTQ+ wrestler Sonya Deville.
The company has even done Pride photoshoots in previous years during Pride month, though this year it didn’t in favour of including support for LGBTQ people among other social and cultural causes in a single PSA.
At the same time, WWE continues to do business with the Saudi royal family despite its criminalisation of LGBTQ+ identities. WWE-contracted talent have faced little consequence for posting anti-LGBTQ+ slurs online and WWE programming has featured derogatory depictions of and statements regarding LGBTQ+ people and relationships as recently as 2022.
Paul’s statements regarding Khelif couldn’t have come at a worse time optics-wise for the company but now the question is what will WWE do about it, especially as he continues to stand by his comments.
The company’s declaration of a “new era” under new owners, Endeavor and the leadership of WWE CCO, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, provides a chance to make a noteworthy statement against transphobia via one of its most high-profile talents but the worry and perceived conclusion by many is that it will do nothing, hoping this blows over like other controversies. Inaction is still action.
On a somewhat similar topic, the U.S. Olympic Committee has filed a lawsuit in the District of Colorado against Logan Paul, claiming he is using trademark phrases for promoting his Prime brand.
The trademark infringement was first spotted through Prime's partnership with NBA star Kevin Durant, describing the drink as the "Team USA Kevin Durant Drink" and "Kevin Durant Olympic Prime Drink."
Phrases used included: "Olympic"; "Olympian"; "Team USA" and "Going For Gold." The committee's legal team requested on 10 July that Paul's brand "cease infringement." The lawsuit further explained that, following the committee's request, the brand continued to sell its Olympic-connected products and advertise them on social media. The attorney representing Paul's brand did not immediately comply with these requests.
However, several of Prime's social media posts used in the lawsuit as evidence were removed from their social media pages on Sunday. The product is also said to have been removed from the company's website.
The committee is now achieving all profits associated with the sale of the infringed product, which is said to be in the millions.
I find it pathetic and laughable that celebrities believe that they are invincible and believe they can do whatever they want and think that they won't get into any trouble. Celebrities like these need a wake up call and realise that they are mortal like everyone else and that they are vulnerable to public criticism and backlash.
When an organisation makes a specific decision, even if it's a debateable one, people need to accept it. The decision has been made. Some might like the decision and some won't. I, myself, am fine with the decision. She identifies as a female and I do and would accept her as such. She should block out all the noise and criticism surrounding her participation.