As March Madness looms and International Women’s Day approaches, women’s basketball players like Audi Crooks and Hannah Stuelke are taking a stand against the toxic sludge that often passes for social media commentary.

Audi Crooks of Iowa State is no stranger to the double-edged sword that is social media. On any given day, she might find heartwarming messages from young fans who view her as a role model or, conversely, cringe-worthy comments criticizing everything from her outfit to her on-court performance. Crooks says, “I want to use my social platform for positive connections,” highlighting the bright side of interacting with fans.

But let’s get real for a sec. It’s not all puppy dogs and rainbows. Recent studies reveal that female college athletes are served a buffet of online harassment, three times more likely than their male counterparts to face such abuse. We’re talking about 18% of that content being sexual, 17% general nastiness, and a smorgasbord of other insults that add up to a whole lot of cyber-nope.

And it’s not just statistics. Zeke Mayo, a Kansas basketball player, recently exposed a wave of unfiltered hate after his team faced a loss. This brings us back to our femmes in hoops, who are often criticized for celebrating victories or even just… existing. Crooks puts it succinctly: “For women in sports, there’s just not much you can do without being criticized”. Meanwhile, male athletes get a free pass to celebrate, sulk, or just look good in their jerseys without fear of judgment. Doesn’t that seem a bit… skewed?

Stuelke shares a piece of sage wisdom from Iowa coach Jan Jensen: put down the phone and connect with the people that matter. Wise words. But it can be hard to resist digging into your DMs, and the ever-shrinking patience around anonymity online makes for a toxic cocktail.

Both Crooks and Stuelke advocate for a culture shift in how people engage online. Crooks notes that while she usually tries to brush off negativity, it’s not an easy feat. “I think it’s important to spread the message that this is happening to us and that you aren’t alone if you are struggling with this,” Stuelke adds.

So as we head into March Madness, let’s not only cheer for our favorite teams but also dial down the aggression on social media. After all, wouldn’t we rather celebrate the athletes than tear them down? Bringing women’s sports into the spotlight shouldn’t also mean throwing shade.