WNBA Coach of the Year Cheryl Reeve Criticized for Remarks on Transgender Athletes

Cheryl Reeve, who recently secured her fifth WNBA Coach of the Year award, is facing scrutiny for her public statements regarding transgender athletes and the broader debate surrounding their inclusion in women's sports. Reeve, the coach of the Minnesota Lynx, has characterized opposition to transgender participation as an anti-transgender sentiment.

Reeve received the Coach of the Year award with 40 out of 74 votes from a national panel, following her team's league-leading 33-11 record. This marks her record-breaking fifth time receiving the honor. However, the article argues that Reeve's political stances may have influenced the voting, suggesting a bias among a segment of the media that covers women's basketball.

According to the report, Reeve's team finished with the league's best record, but this alone has not always guaranteed the award in previous seasons. For example, in 2025, the Lynx also had the best record but Reeve received minimal votes. The article posits that the acquisition of Rookie of the Year Olivia Miles, who was available due to a draft pick by the Dallas Wings, may have also bolstered Reeve's case.

Reeve has been an outspoken advocate for transgender inclusion, stating, "I’m all about women, little girls deserving to play, and that includes trans women. So I’m all about inclusivity." This stance has been met with debate, with critics arguing that the core disagreement centers on the definition of the female category in sports and privacy in locker rooms, rather than a rejection of transgender individuals themselves.

Reeve has further elaborated on the controversy surrounding her advocacy, particularly concerning a "Trans Kids Belong" shirt she wore earlier in the season. She stated, "They don't want transgender people to exist," a comment that critics argue misrepresents the arguments of those who advocate for the protection of women's sports categories. The article contends that the dispute is specifically about whether biological males should compete in female sports, not about the existence of transgender people.

Reeve also discussed the personal impact of her advocacy, recounting stories from parents of transgender children who expressed gratitude for her support, which she believes helped their children feel affirmed. She described the issue as a matter of "life and death" for the transgender community, referencing the potential for suicide without gender-affirming care.

This framing has been called "emotional blackmail" by advocates like Riley Gaines, who has described similar pressure on female athletes who express concerns about transgender participation. The article references studies suggesting that the evidence supporting the immediate mental health benefits of medical interventions for gender dysphoria is not conclusive, citing a 2025 review of puberty blockers and a study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine. A Finnish study also indicated that psychiatric needs among adolescents and young adults who underwent medical transition did not decrease.

Critics argue that Reeve's accusations are inflammatory and serve to shut down legitimate debate about the implications of transgender inclusion in women's sports. The article emphasizes that advocating for women's sports to be exclusively for biological females does not equate to hatred or a desire for transgender people to cease existing. It suggests that Reeve is using emotional appeals and broad accusations to avoid defending the substance of her position, which some argue runs counter to the existence of women's sports itself.