Latest news with #CaitlinCunningham
Daily Mail
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Aussie basketball star goes viral for wearing goth makeup during matches - and turning two of their teeth into FANGS
Australian basketballer Caitlin Cunningham has gone viral online not just for their basketball skills, but their unusual goth appearance. Dubbed 'Caitlin Dark' after WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark, the 39-year-old has grabbed global attention for their combination of athleticism and goth aesthetic. 'I was a MySpace kid,' Cunningham, who uses they/them/she pronouns, told the ABC. 'Emo music's a big part of my life and so the makeup has always been an expression, and I've always done it.' The former WNBL player, who now plays semi-professionally for the Rockhampton Cyclones, says people have always noticed how at odds she looks compared to typical athletes. 'I found an old article from when I was 21, when I was signed to the Canberra Capitals, playing in the WNBL,' she said. 'The journalist touched on my black shoes, my black socks, my goth looks. 'So it's always been a thing for me.' Cunningham explains that their look - dark makeup, tattoos, athleisure outfits in the same colour and those fangs - is all tied into the music she loves. 'When I was young, I would look up to these artists and be mesmerised by their self-expression and their art form,' Cunningham said. 'And if people are looking at me like I looked at those people … you have a role to play in these young people's journey of self-discovery and I do take it seriously. 'If I had someone like me when I was growing up, I would have felt so seen.' Sports fans online have celebrated Cunningham's bold individuality, proving opposite subcultures can flourish together. 'Welcome back Dennis Rodman,' joked one Instagram user. 'Do you need a controversially far away girlfriend,' posted another 'She looks photoshopped in, I love her.' said a third. Cunningham is overwhelmed by all the attention she is getting, with their TikTok quickly growing from 200 followers to over 50,000. A TikTok compilation of Cunningham has had more than three million views. Some have even compared Cunningham to American actor and comedian Pete Davidson. 'A lot of very attractive women always seem to want to date me, and I think that may have a bit to do with the comparison,' Cunningham told 'But I think I'm tall, I'm skinny, I've got a lot of tattoos, I don't know, I'm a bit dorky, maybe similar to him. 'Maybe I've just got big d**k energy.' Cunningham hopes that the increased visibility she has received can benefit LGBTQ+ people. 'It's harder to sleep because I've been getting some quite heavy DMs, and I really care about the people reaching out to me because they're feeling so seen and connected, and I'm helping them realize something about themselves or feel comfortable in their own skin,' Cunningham said. 'And that is so powerful, and if I'm that connection for them to be the best version of themselves, I just want to know how to keep helping people feel good with themselves. 'If I'm that role model for someone, I'll take it, I'll do it, I'll do the best I can to harness that.'
ABC News
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Basketballer Caitlin Cunningham is a 'health goth' and wants to show sport is for all
The emo/goth aesthetic isn't one usually associated with athletes, particularly not at an elite level. But that's never bothered Caitlin Cunningham, who's proof that the two seemingly opposite subcultures can coexist and flourish. "I was a Myspace kid. Emo music's a big part of my life and so the makeup has always been an expression, and I've always done it," Cunningham, who uses they/them/she pronouns, told ABC Melbourne's The Conversation Hour. They were also an early adopter of the health goth style — broadly speaking, a trend that originated around a decade ago, combining sport/working out with monochromatic athleisure, dark make-up and a general gothic look. The former WNBL player, who now plays semi-professionally for the Rockhampton Cyclones in the NBL1 North, has captured a lot of attention over the past week after pictures of her playing were posted on social media. They've earned them the moniker "Caitlin Dark", riffing off WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark. It's nothing new for the 39-year-old, who's also a musician and personal trainer. "I found an old article from when I was 21, when I was signed to the Canberra Capitals, playing in the WNBL," she said. "The journalist touched on my black shoes, my black socks, my goth looks. So it's always been a thing for me." The look has evolved since then — there are more tattoos, two teeth have been turned into fangs and the now increasingly famous make-up. "It's all tied into music for me. When I was young, I would look up to these artists and be mesmerised by their self-expression and their art form," Cunningham said. "And if people are looking at me like I looked at those people … you have a role to play in these young people's journey of self-discovery and I do take it seriously. The intersection of sport, fashion, beauty and music is well-established — and there is power in athletes using their platform and profile to showcase the many dimensions of human expression. Serena Williams was a trailblazer throughout her career, showing that you can be stylish, fashion-forward and one of the greatest players of all time. Brazilian football legend Marta first sported her trademark red lipstick at the 2019 Women's World Cup, saying: "The colour is of blood because we had to leave blood on the pitch. Now I'm going to use it in every game." American rugby player Ilona Maher wears her red lipstick to show femininity can coexist with peak athletic performance, saying, "it doesn't take away from your athletic ability if you wear make-up". The WNBA and NBA tunnels have become high-end fashion runways with athletes trading basketball singlets for haute couture. What does it all mean? Well, in short — that athletes are people too, with complex identities, interests and forms of expression. But for athletes competing in women's sport, and women and gender-diverse people generally, it goes deeper. They have always been policed over their appearance and faced constant contradictions. Too masculine/too feminine. Too muscular/too thin. Too concerned with their looks/not concerned enough. Trying too hard to fit in or too hard to stand out. Praised for fighting for equity, or being told to be grateful for what they've got. It's an exhausting dance, essentially all an encapsulation of the now well-versed Barbie monologue. To blend in is an easier existence, but as Cunningham — and so many others — show, to embrace yourself is a much more fulfilling one. "I might look quite intimidating, but I am probably one of the most softest, most gentle people and everyone knows that," they said. "Don't judge a book by its cover. I am such a contradiction of what I am perceived as to who I am." And with sport a central part of so many people's lives, whether as participants or spectators, Cunningham knows the impact of its influence. "There's so many sports that really like to put people in a box of stereotypes," she said. "And it's unfair because I think that turns away people who feel a little bit different, and that puts them off wanting to be in a team sport environment.
