Why Elizabeth Means’ Senate moment should spark a bigger conversation on women in sports

MANILA, Philippines – Last March 3, American basketball player Elizabeth Means sat before lawmakers, seeking naturalization to suit up for Gilas Pilipinas Women in international competitions. 

What started as a healthy discussion for the 23-year-old Means, meant to be granted Filipino citizenship alongside former UAAP MVP Malick Dious, turned into an uncalled-for moment about her personal life. 

“Do you have a Filipino boyfriend?” Senator Jinggoy Estrada asked Means during the hearing, in front of Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas officials and other Senate guests. 

“Not yet po,” Means answered. 

“Maybe Senator (Kiko) Pangilinan might want to apply,” Estrada replied. “Sorry kay (to) Sharon (Pangilinan’s wife).”

While Means’ naturalization, along with Diouf’s, passed the third and final reading in the Senate, Estrada’s comment naturally drew flak.

For Ceej Tantengco-Malolos, founder of women-led sports media organization Go Hard Girls, the rather unsettling scene on the Senate floor is a microcosm of society’s misogynistic norms, especially in male-dominated spaces, like politics and sports.

“The reason why it should spark a conversation is because this is bigger than Jinggoy Estrada,” Tantengco-Malolos told Rappler. “These are symptoms of a society in which respect for women is treated as optional.”

“There should be a conversation about what it really means to respect women athletes. It’s very easy after the SEA (Southeast Asian) Games, or Olympics, to say, ‘Go women.’ Supporting women is more than just saying girl power.”

More work to do

In the same week, another lawmaker, Quezon City 4th District Representative Bong Suntay, suggested having a sexual fantasy about actress Anne Curtis during the Congress’ deliberations on Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment cases.

In Estrada’s case, the mood in the Senate room was light, but the uncomfortable feeling from the intrusiveness of his question was sheathed. 

Mau Belen, the first female coach in the PBA and a national team coach in 3×3 basketball, said the moment highlights how women in sports are still perceived.

“As someone who has been around women’s basketball for years and works closely with female athletes, moments like what happened between Jinggoy Estrada and Elizabeth Means matter because they reflect how women in sports are sometimes still talked about or treated,” Belen told Rappler.

“So, when remarks like that happen, it reminds us that there is still work to do in making sure women in sports are respected for what they bring to the game.”

Sharon Cabusao Silva, a women’s rights activist and executive director of Lila Pilipina, said the incident should also serve as a reminder, especially for young men, about the importance of respecting women and recognizing their role in sports.

“Women athletes play an important role in breaking the limited traditional roles or characteristics often ascribed to women,” Cabusao Silva told Rappler. “In victory, they provide pride for their nation, particularly for women who aspire to embody the same qualities they display.”

“We need to remind men that women must be treated on equal terms. They should not trivialize women’s achievements, status, and concerns, or think that women only find meaning and importance in having men or relationships around them.”

For Tantengco-Malolos, the criticism surrounding both incidents should not fade quickly, especially during International Women’s Month.

“This is not an isolated case,” said Tantengco-Malolos. “There should be a conversation to be had about our lawmakers showing up to their jobs, for which they are paid with taxpayers’ money — our money —and using their time to make these kinds of jokes in a work setting.”

“I don’t feel good that my taxes as a woman during Women’s Month are being used to pay the salary of men who disrespect women.”

Respect, at the most basic level, should remain paramount in any space, whether in sports, politics, or everyday life.

“There should be a long-term investment, and we won’t make progress unless respect is guaranteed,” Tantengco-Malolos said in a mix of Filipino and English. “Everyone is the child of a mother, and it should be so basic to respect women.”

“Respect is basic and fundamental in any social relation, and it should be demanded most from people who wield power or authority, who are more often men,” Cabusao Silva added.

‘Model respect every day’

Means, a 6-foot forward, was a US NCAA Division II player for Westminster University. She played one professional season in Ecuador, putting up 10.2 points and 10.8 rebounds.

Days before the Senate hearing, Means led the Pilipinas Aguilas to a title in the 2026 3×3 BITL held in Bangkok, Thailand, together with Filipina teammates Mikka Cacho, Trina Guytingco, and Camille Malagar. The team finished the tournament with a 6-0 record.

Their run was cited in the hearing of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, headed by Pangilinan. 

For Belen, meaningful change in how women are valued in sports can begin with everyday conversations, both on and off the court.

“As coaches, mentors, and leaders, we have a responsibility to model respect every day,” she said. “In sports, we always talk about discipline, character, and teamwork. Part of that is understanding that women deserve the same respect on and off the court.”

“When young athletes grow up seeing women as teammates, competitors, and leaders, it naturally shapes how they treat them in life as well.”

Tangtengco-Malolos hopes the incident sparks dialogue that will denormalize such remarks.

“You have to talk to your coworkers, talk to your barkada, talk to your sons, talk to the men in your circle,” Tangtengco-Malolos said. “If we’re talking about men who do not respect women, if their problem is men who don’t respect women, I highly doubt that someone like me will be able to change their mind. The man who needs the most change is exactly the man who will not listen to me.”

“I think the reminder for Women’s Month is that the responsibility to create change is not all be seen as a women’s issue. The responsibility for equity is not a women’s issue. The burden of advocating or convincing people should not all be on women. The responsibility of creating a more fair, equitable, and empowering world is the responsibility of men and women equally.” – with reports from Marcus Isaac Bandong/Rappler.com