{
  "id": 1861908,
  "title": "Toronto Tempo reveal new non-binary mascot with Sophie Cunningham, Indiana Fever in attendance",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/toronto-tempo-reveal-new-non-binary-mascot-with-sophie-cunningham",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-19T04:06:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/toronto-tempo-reveal-non-binary-040619361.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Toronto Tempo unveiled their new non-binary mascots, Dez and Dot, against the Indiana Fever on Tuesday at the Coca-Cola Coliseum. The debut of the mascots came amidst a trans athlete debate that has dominated the WNBA over the past month. Dez is a Borealis Blue Snapping Turtle from Muskoka, Ontario, who identifies with she/they pronouns. The turtle's name is derived from the word 'decibel' to reflect their love for music. Dot, on the other hand, is an Arctic Hare named after Toronto's long-time nickname, T-Dot. She is described as the duo's 'hype woman' with her endless energy and acrobatic abilities. The introduction of Dez and Dot marks a progressive move by the Tempo, aiming to send a message of inclusivity in a time when gender identity has been a contentious issue in the WNBA. The mascots' reveal coincided with the attendance of the Fever, providing a platform to address the discussion in front of Sophie Cunningham, whose controversial remarks on protecting biological women sparked the ongoing debate. Tempo's Chief Marketing Officer, Whitney Bell, stated that the pair, Dez and Dot, were designed to embody the team's Canadian identity and represent the harmonious balance of contrasting personalities.",
  "summary": "The Toronto Tempo unveiled its new mascots to the WNBA world with the box-office Indiana Fever in attendance at the Coca-Cola Coliseum. The Tempo are playing their first-ever season of WNBA basketball in 2026.",
  "key_points": [
    "Toronto Tempo introduces non-binary mascots Dez and Dot",
    "Dez is Borealis Blue Snapping Turtle, Dot is Arctic Hare",
    "Mascots debut coincides with trans athlete debate in WNBA"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The introduction of Dez and Dot as non-binary mascots positions the Toronto Tempo as a proponent of inclusivity, contrasting with recent divisive discussions around gender identity in the WNBA.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}