U.S. soccer legend Megan Rapinoe has publicly criticized Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham's recent remarks regarding transgender athletes, accusing Cunningham of "villainizing trans girls." Cunningham had previously stated her desire to "protect young girls" from "biological men" in sports, sparking a debate within the WNBA and the broader sports community.
Rapinoe, speaking on her podcast "Why Are You Like This?", questioned the sincerity of Cunningham's claims, particularly after seeing a photograph of Cunningham with political activist Riley Gaines. Rapinoe identified Gaines as a prominent critic of transgender athletes, whose activism, Rapinoe stated, aims to exclude transgender people from public life. According to Rapinoe, Gaines is associated with the Heritage Foundation, an organization that has reportedly published a report advocating for the repeal of Title IX.
Title IX is federal legislation that prohibits sex-based discrimination in educational programs receiving federal funding, a law Rapinoe credits with enabling female athletes like herself and Cunningham to compete. Rapinoe expressed concern over what she perceives as a contradiction in Cunningham's stance, noting that Cunningham has claimed to support Title IX while also making comments that Rapinoe believes are harmful to transgender youth.
"The root of trans exclusion is to protect young girls from men," Rapinoe stated, adding that this framing is misleading. She argued that such rhetoric unfairly targets transgender girls, portraying them as a threat rather than as girls themselves. Rapinoe emphasized that existing policies for elite sports have historically been effective and largely unnoticed because they worked.
Cunningham's comments have drawn varied reactions. Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve was seen wearing a "Trans Kids Belong" T-shirt during a recent game against the Fever. Golden State Valkyries player Gabby Williams also stated her willingness to welcome a transgender player onto her team. Cunningham, however, has maintained that she has never expressed hatred toward the transgender community and believes Title IX is crucial for protecting women's sports.