The quote that stood out to me was “Earlier this week, on the side of a building in Austin, Texas, an artist painted a mural in remembrance of Bryant. That same night, someone added the word “rapist” next to his face. Almost as soon as it appeared, it vanished. Painted over. Muted. A glimpse of the legacy Bryant leaves behind.”
Kobe Bryant gave a slight acknowledgment that he and the women he raped, were not on the same page. He believed it was consensual, but she thought it was sexual abuse. As soon as Bryant said that, the author said it put the whole issue to bed and everyone accepted it, and he continued to be respected as a legend. That is the same thing that happened here. Someone muted the remark that Bryant was a rapist, just as the media and his fans had done with the whole case. This quote also speaks out to rape victims of sexual assault in the workplace or in general; how their stories get muted because they are threatened, it is too difficult to speak out or any other reasons they may have. To this day, I continue to hear that Kobe Bryant was an amazing person, father, player, and overall legend, but I never hear about the pain he brought onto other people.