WNBA star Sophie Cunningham says she wants to protect girls in sports
Sophie Cunningham told ESPN she supports protecting young female athletes from competing against biological males, while emphasizing she does not hate trans people.
WNBA forward Sophie Cunningham said in an ESPN interview that she wants to safeguard young girls in sports from having to compete against biological men. She noted she had received criticism suggesting she was anti-trans, which she denied, stating, "I never once said that" and that her comments are meant to extend love and honesty. Cunningham said she is "in the middle" of the debate, agreeing and disagreeing with points on both sides, and emphasized her desire to protect female athletes in locker rooms and competition. The player previously faced criticism after sharing a tweet about former Penn swimmer Lia Thomas, and issued a statement affirming support for all people and gender equity while calling for fair competition. Riley Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer, said the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding state laws that bar biological males from women’s sports should serve as a "clarion call" for elite female athletes, including Cunningham, to speak out in defense of women’s sports.