Brittney Griner canceled her scheduled appearance at the Women Grow Leadership Summit in Maryland after discovering “threatening objects and words” in her hotel room, event organizers confirmed.
The WNBA star and cannabis advocate was set to speak at the Gaylord National Resort on Monday but backed out after spotting a disturbing message. According to reports, a piece of duct tape reading “Gay Baby Jail” was left in her room—an unsettling find for Griner, an openly gay athlete who spent nearly 10 months in a Russian prison after being convicted of marijuana possession in 2022.
While hotel staff reportedly dismissed the tape as a prank left by a previous guest and missed by cleaning staff, the incident was enough to raise security concerns. Women Grow CEO Dr. Chanda Macias supported Griner’s decision to cancel, saying, “If there was a woman that feels threatened at any reason whatsoever, they should do what they feel is best for them.”
Authorities are investigating the origins of the message but believe Griner was not specifically targeted. According to Prince George’s County Police, the phrase “gay baby jail” is commonly used in video game culture, and the tape may have been left behind by attendees of a large anime and gaming convention at the hotel that weekend.
Investigators are still working to determine who placed the tape, when it was left, and its intended meaning.
