There is not, and never has been, a transgender woman in the WNBA. Yet one Senate candidate believes every woman playing in the league should be required to undergo a test to prove that she is a woman.
During a recent interview with Fox News, Minnesota Senate candidate Michelle Tafoya, a longtime NFL reporter who has worked for NBC Sports, ESPN, ABC, and CBS, argued that WNBA players should be required to take a test to “prove” that they are women in order to compete in the league.
Her comments come after Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham sparked a nationwide conversation when she spoke out against transgender women competing in women’s sports.
‘Prove that you’ve got the chromosomes’
In a recent Fox News interview, Tafoya addressed the controversy surrounding transgender athletes and emphasized what she described as the importance of preserving the “biological reality” of women’s sports.
“If we start to take away that element – that biological reality of the differences between men and women – then we don’t have a WNBA. I don’t know what we have, but it’s not a women’s league anymore,” Tafoya said.
Tafoya then proposed that players across the league should be required to undergo a DNA test to “prove” that they are women, despite the fact that there is currently no transgender woman in the WNBA or attempting to enter the league.
“If you want to play and make money and have opportunities as a person in the WNBA as a woman, it should not bother you to take a cheek swab test to just prove that you’ve the chromosomes to play in that league,” Tafoya said.
Tafoya, the Republican candidate for Minnesota’s Senate seat, argued that such a test is “not invasive at all” and said players therefore should have no issue with taking one.
“It’s not invasive at all. It’s no worse than what we all did during COVID when we had to get COVID tests twice a week just to cover the NFL,” Tafoya said.
‘This is insanity’
Naturally, this plan sparked widespread outrage on social media, considering the other issues plaguing the country that Tafoya could be focusing on.
“Good to see Republicans are focused on kitchen table issues…” wrote sports radio personality Kurtis Seaboldt of Sports Radio 810 WHB.
“This is insanity. This literally has NEVER been an issue. This is a made-up controversy by Republican elites to divide people and draw our attention away from Trump and billionaires who are pilfering our economy and government,” added political commentator Mile Bruner.
“This is what they think normal Americans are thinking about when trying to drive to work and take care of their families,” wrote former Jeopardy! winner Hemant Mehta.
“As a working parent navigating inflation, soaring gas prices, stagnant wages, failing schools, a feckless war, highway gridlock, deepening debt, rising housing prices, & Trump’s corruption, I am begging political candidates to tell me: How should the WNBA set its roster rules?” wrote Jessica Riedl of The Brookings Institution.
“I honestly don’t understand this. Maybe it’s great for the base. But it’s terrible politics in 2026,” wrote Rick Ellis of AllYourScreens.com.
“Grocery prices are insane. So are gas prices. Don’t even ask about health insurance. And nobody can afford to buy a house But instead of concentrating on fixing these significant, real problems-Republican candidates are laser focused on the issue that truly affect the voters,” wrote Adam Cohen, Vice Chair of Lawyers for Good Government.
“It appears the 26 midterms will be covered as a referendum on Trump’s cost of living, War w Iran, corruption, public shaming of America, ICE, Israel & corruption vs a handful of trans athletes & someone named Piker. Without mentioning the Trump part,” wrote broadcaster, writer and speaker Michael Carlson.
“This is what the people of Minnesota care most about?” asked former Fox Sports journalist Robert Lusetich.
Needless to say, Tafoya’s plan is not popular with the people.
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