Twitter users are threatening to boycott ESPN after it was announced that former Olympic athlete Caitlyn Jenner would be awarded the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the 2015 ESPYs.
The hashtag #BoycottESPN is trending on Twitter, with many users pointing to athletes they believe have shown more courage than Jenner, who transitioned from Bruce Jenner in April. One of the popular choices is Lauren Hill, a 19-year-old cancer patient who fulfilled her dream of playing college basketball before her untimely death.
#LaurenHillESPY Elective surgery isn't courage or bravery. Fighting brain cancer with grace and dignity at 19 is. Lauren is most deserving.
— Kristin (@KristinH1998) June 3, 2015
Everyone should boycott @espn if they don't award Lauren Hill with the Arthur Ashe award. #CaytlinJenner #BoycottESPN
— Justin Walters (@juttwalters) June 2, 2015
#BoycottESPN @espn True Courage… #LaurenHillESPY pic.twitter.com/MUXwc5xPRH
— The S.o.B (@Sun_Of_A_Butch) June 3, 2015
Others recommended Noah Galloway, the double amputee Iraq veteran who became a long distance runner and a contestant on Dancing With The Stars.
@espn shows how ignorant u are! Giving the courage award to Cailtlyn Jenner over @Noah_Galloway #BoycottESPN #ShutDownESPN
— Ronan Mulhern (@rmuls513) June 2, 2015
Making the ultimate sacrifice for his country as a fellow service member this is infuriating to see #BoycottESPN pic.twitter.com/teJJdCGiEX
— Dugz (@Sduggan26) June 3, 2015
Espn should b ashamd giving a courage award 2 a guy who thinks he's a girl ovr n injured combat veteran #BoycottESPN pic.twitter.com/VJsieTVYAm
— Steve B (@IslandTimeDawg) June 3, 2015
If Caitlyn Jenner is more courageous then Noah Galloway then I'm not sure what kinda world I'm living in… pic.twitter.com/AbJLuzVpJa
— Caylee Roth (@CayNoel) June 2, 2015
Hey @espn you blew it. #LaurenHillESPY or #NoahGalloway were more deserving of #ArthurAsheCourageAward than #CaitlynJenner #BoycottESPN
— RJ Grund (@rjgrund) June 3, 2015
But the overarching theme was displeasure with the choice of Jenner, with many chalking it up to liberal bias on the part of the Walt Disney Corporation-owned network.
Are we still spreading the word to boycott @espn? We do not care for your leftist agenda. #BoycottESPN
— LTC_W (@Screaming_Eagle) June 3, 2015
@espn could you not find someone who is actually courageous? I thought it was a sports network not a political machine. #boycottespn
— Jonathan Argo (@J_A_R_G_O) June 1, 2015
.@espn reveals their true liberal identity with choosing #BruceJenner over #LaurenHill Sad. #LaurenHillESPY
— JeremyRN (@RedJ44) June 3, 2015