Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham was met with boos from the crowd during her team's matchup against the Toronto Tempo in Canada, marking another instance of fan backlash amid the ongoing debate surrounding transgender athletes in sports. The jeers at Scotiabank Arena, which hosted a crowd of 19,300, occurred as Cunningham has become a prominent voice advocating for measures to restrict transgender athletes, particularly "biological men," from competing in women's sports to "protect young girls."
Cunningham's public statements have fueled considerable debate and an increase in anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric online, a shift in tone for the WNBA, a league historically known for its inclusivity. Following the Fever's 101-95 victory over the Tempo, Cunningham offered a seemingly lighthearted response to the Toronto crowd's reaction. "I want to shout out the, the Tempo crowd and the city," Cunningham said during her postgame press conference. "I think we've had so much fun. It's my first time being in Canada. It's a lot of our first times being in Canada, but the crowd was absolutely amazing."
She added, "And, you know, I think that's what sports is all about. You're going to get boos, you're going to get cheers. But just the fact that they're so passionate, they're loud, and they're putting on for the city, I think it's amazing. So shout out to you guys for coming out and supporting."
Cunningham recorded 13 points, two rebounds, and two assists in the game, one of her stronger performances of the season. This incident follows a separate event in Atlanta where fans wearing shirts supporting an anti-trans stance were reportedly asked by arena staff to cover up or remove their attire during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Atlanta Dream. The fans, who had purchased expensive seats, were told their clothing violated arena guidelines and that they faced removal if they did not comply. One of the fans claimed that another spectator wearing a "Protect Trans Rights" shirt had pointed them out to security.