For weeks, WNBA fans and players kept an eye out for green dildos flying toward the court, a phenomenon that started July 29 during a game between the Golden State Valkyries and the Atlanta Dream and occurred during at least six more games around the country. Players, coaches and fans expressed shock and frustration.

Online, an entirely different group of people were following the games. Instead of focusing on the athletes, the cryptocurrency enthusiasts were posting derogatory comments about the WNBA and scanning the stands, awaiting the emergence of the green sex toy, based on a meme coin they launched the day before. They quickly claimed credit for some of the incidents, which were designed to create publicity for the meme coin and drive up its value. The meme coin’s value jumped 300 percent in its first week and traded over $1.3 million in a single day.

“We didn’t do this because we dislike women’s sports or, like, some of the narratives that are trending right now are ridiculous,” the spokesperson for the group told USA Today under the condition of anonymity. “Creating disruption at games is like, it happens in every single sport, right?”

For these women athletes, it wasn’t a harmless disruption. It was a safety concern and deeply disrespectful. Humiliation, often lewd, has long been used to make women feel uncomfortable or diminish their athletic accomplishments. The WNBA has grown significantly in the last two seasons with record attendance, television viewership and financial investment. As they negotiate for higher salaries, players are fighting to be respected.

“Everyone’s trying to make sure the W is not a joke, and it’s taken seriously and then that happens,” Sophie Cunningham of the Indiana Fever said during an August 5 podcast interview, referring to the first dildo being thrown. “I’m like, how are we ever going to get taken seriously?”

The 19th spoke with experts about the popularity of meme coins, how online jokes can lead to violence and what can be done about it.