WNBA player Sophie Cunningham has garnered significant support following her public statements regarding transgender athletes participating in women's sports. Former NCAA swimmer and commentator Riley Gaines lauded Cunningham, calling her a rare voice of courage for taking a stand in what Gaines described as a “woke league.”
Cunningham, a guard for the Indiana Fever, recently stated her position, clarifying that her views are not about hating transgender individuals but about protecting the integrity of women's sports and the privacy of female athletes. “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 sports who shouldn't have to go against biological men,” Cunningham told ESPN.
Gaines, a prominent advocate for women's sports, characterized Cunningham as the first current high-level female athlete in a professional league to express such views. Gaines suggested that taking this stance requires immense courage, particularly within the WNBA, and that Cunningham might face professional repercussions.
“And to be very clear, I don't think Sophie is doing or saying what she does because she wants fame,” Gaines said. “You have to imagine that she was concerned that she would lose opportunities. Maybe still she's even concerned about that. But she said it, and she stood by it because she thinks that's the right and the moral and the just thing to do.”
Cunningham’s remarks have drawn support from various Republican lawmakers and women's sports advocates, including Senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Eric Schmitt of Missouri.
Jennifer Sey, CEO of the sportswear brand XX-XY Athletics, expressed interest in signing Cunningham, citing her as an ideal ambassador. Sey praised Cunningham's personality and outspokenness, stating, “She’s just got such an incredible personality. She's fun, and she's funny, and she's tough, and she says what she thinks, and that's what we're all about.” Sey’s brand previously released an advertisement challenging sportswear giants to take a public stance against biological males competing in women's sports, which garnered significant attention online.
XX-XY Athletics' "Dear Nike" ad, released in October 2024, called on the company to publicly oppose the participation of biological males in women's sports and has since accumulated over 10 million views. Cunningham had engaged with the ad on social media, sending a private message to Sey praising its message.