Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve has publicly advocated for the inclusion of transgender athletes in sports, a stance she articulated ahead of a planned demonstration in support of Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham. Cunningham has recently expressed views favoring restrictions on transgender girls and women participating in women's sports.
The demonstration in support of Cunningham was scheduled to take place outside the Target Center in Minneapolis before the Indiana Fever's game against the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday. This event marks the third consecutive road game for the Fever that has featured a rally supporting Cunningham's position.
Reeve, speaking on Saturday, stated that her perspective is rooted in inclusion. "The narrative that I think is problematic is to suggest that transgender athletes are the biggest problem in women’s sports," Reeve said. "This is what’s bothersome. There is a faction of people in our country that are making this a massive issue."
Cunningham's views became widely known following an ESPN.com story published on July 21. In the report, the 29-year-old player stated, "I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men."
Prior to the games in Seattle and Portland, rallies were also held in support of Cunningham. Reeve acknowledged the existence of these demonstrations but emphasized her disagreement with their underlying message.
"We need to protect trans kids," Reeve stated. "To me, it’s a human rights issue. Every kid has a right to sports."
According to NCAA President Charlie Baker, transgender athletes constitute a very small percentage of NCAA athletes, as few as 0.002 percent.