Vice President JD Vance has publicly supported WNBA player Sophie Cunningham, urging her to continue voicing her opinions on transgender athletes in women's sports despite facing backlash.
Cunningham recently stated in an interview with ESPN that young girls "shouldn't have to go against biological men" when competing in sports. Her comments have ignited a debate, drawing criticism from some fans and sports figures, including Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve, who wore a "Trans Kids Belong" shirt during a game against Cunningham's Indiana Fever.
In response to the controversy, Vance told Fox News that Cunningham's courage is inspiring. "Sometimes when you're courageous in this country, some of the worst people in the world try to attack you," Vance said. "What I would tell Sophie and anybody else is: keep speaking your mind, you're actually inspiring a dozen people for every person that criticizes you."
Vance emphasized the importance of courageous individuals in shaping the nation's direction. "And we cannot take our country back, we cannot save the United States of America, unless you have people of courage who are speaking their mind," he stated. "The thing about courage is it's contagious. When you see one person - even if they have the mob come after them - speak their mind in a courageous and honest way, it inspires a lot of people to do the same. So I would tell Sophie to keep going."
Since Cunningham's remarks, Indiana Fever games have seen protests from both sides of the transgender athlete issue. In Minnesota, demonstrators supporting and opposing transgender inclusion clashed outside Target Center.
During the game, Reeve and Cunningham engaged in a discussion on the sidelines. Cunningham described the interaction as respectful, noting that both she and Reeve shared their perspectives. "She had stories about her point of view and I had stories about my point of view and we left with love and respect and I think that's what it's all about," Cunningham said.
Reeve, who also coaches the U.S. Women's National Basketball Team, stated her belief in inclusion. "There are some things that we have in common, and maybe some things you differ on, just like any issues. I think it's how you handle things," Reeve said. "The narrative that I think is problematic is to suggest that transgender athletes are the biggest problem in women's sports. This is what's bothersome. There is a faction of people in our country that are making this a massive issue."
When asked about Cunningham's comments, Indiana Fever teammate Caitlin Clark said the team focuses on basketball. "I think, for us, it's not really a discussion we really have in our locker room," Clark told reporters. "I think it's for leagues and the governing bodies to work with their athletes to find solutions, but our focus is on basketball. That's what we talk about and how we can get wins."