WNBA star Sophie Cunningham has reiterated her stance on the debate surrounding transgender athletes in sports, stating her primary concern is to 'protect young girls' and ensure fair competition.
Cunningham faced significant backlash in 2022 after sharing a social media post from CBS Sports host Josh Pate that questioned the inclusion of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas on a women's collegiate team. The post stated, 'Female collegiate athletes deserve so much better than this.' At the time, Cunningham released a statement expressing support for athletes but calling for fairness in competition.
In a recent interview with ESPN, Cunningham addressed the criticism, stating, 'I never once said that [I hate trans people]. 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.'
Cunningham described her political views as balanced, resisting labels. "I'm very much in the middle," she explained. "I agree with things on both sides, disagree with things on both sides. And that's all I've ever said about my political beliefs. But people love to assume."
Her comments come amid a shifting legal landscape for transgender athletes. Last month, the Supreme Court upheld state laws that permit bans on transgender athletes from participating in girls' and women's sports. This ruling overturned lower court decisions that had sided with transgender students challenging bans in Idaho and West Virginia, which they argued violated the Constitution and a federal anti-discrimination law.
Following the Supreme Court's decision, political activist and former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines reached out to several prominent female athletes, including Cunningham. Gaines, who gained public attention after tying with Lia Thomas for fifth place in a 2022 NCAA swimming championship, has been a vocal advocate against the participation of transgender women in women's sports. Gaines expressed that the Supreme Court's ruling made her feel 'vindicated' and optimistic about the future, encouraging elite female athletes to unite.
Cunningham, who plays for the Indiana Fever alongside Caitlin Clark, has become a prominent figure in the WNBA. In her 2022 statement, she wrote, 'To my teammates, friends, family, supporters and fans, you know that I stand with all people, especially my fellow athletes. I do not judge, but support all races, religions, sexual preferences and gender equity. We all have a place in this world to compete and I hope we are able to grant everyone that opportunity fairly.'