Earlier this week, Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham drew widespread attention after speaking out about transgender athletes during an interview. When reporters gave her the opportunity to clarify those comments at length on Wednesday, Cunningham doubled down on what she said previously, leading to more criticism.
Ahead of Wednesday night’s matchup against the Connecticut Sun, Cunningham reiterated that she had no regrets about what she told ESPN, describing her position as “kind of common sense.” Needless to say, fans were not happy about this.
Cunningham Speaks Out Against Trans Athletes
During a recent interview with ESPN, Cunningham was asked about her political beliefs and the “MAGA Barbie” nickname that has recently followed her. While she dismissed the label as an assumption based on being a white woman from Missouri, she also shared her views on what she believes is necessary to “protect women’s sports.”
“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that,'” she told ESPN. “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.”
Even after making those comments, Cunningham maintained that her political beliefs are “very much in the middle.”
“I’m very much in the middle. 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,” she says.
Cunningham Refuses to Apologize
On Wednesday, Cunningham was once again asked about her remarks while speaking with reporters before the Fever’s game against the Sun. She made it clear she had no intention of apologizing and was standing by her previous comments.
“I said what I said. I think it’s kind of common sense,” Cunningham said via The Athletic. “And I think I’ll always believe in that. I think it’s really important to protect children, and that’s little girls who are also involved in that category. I stand on what I said.”
Cunningham was also asked whether she understood why some people viewed her comments as derogatory toward transgender athletes. She said that she does not “dislike anyone” and believes there is “room to love everyone,” but emphasized that her opinion has not changed.
“But I’m also there to love biological women, and I think that there are rights that need to be protected,” Cunningham continued. “And, like I said, I’m gonna stand true to that. I’ll never falter in my beliefs in that. But I have never once stated that I hated the trans community.”
‘The WNBA needs to suspend her’
Cunningham’s initial comments sparked widespread criticism, but her decision to double down on those comments sparked even more outrage.
“This is one of most repugnant things that’s ever come out of her mouth and it’s quite fascinating(not really)how she discusses protecting little girls in sports from transwomen(who are not a threat) but she’s got no smoke publicly for the MEN in power who are actual predators,” Emmy-nominated sportscaster Chris Williamson wrote in a post on X.
“The protecting children against “biological men” is such odd framing… because we’re talking about… children in the same age category participating in youth sports. Unfortunate,” someone else added.
“Can someone please ask sophie cunningham why she’s worried about ‘adult men’ going against ‘young girls’ in sports when sports organizations do not allow adults to play in kids’ leagues? Oh, I know the reason. It’s an anti trans dog whistle to imply trans people are predators,” another commenter wrote.
“What a truly shameful thing to say because if you aren’t protecting trans children then you aren’t protecting children. you are actively harming children by demonizing and marginalizing trans children,” one fan wrote in a post on X.
“What a loser of a human being. Don’t even know where to start,” someone else added.
“Implying that trans people are a danger to children is absolutely unacceptable and anyone who’s defending sophie cunningham right now knows what they’re doing. the number of people in this society who openly despise trans people makes me sick,” a fan wrote.
“So not only is she doubling down, she’s now implying that trans people are a danger to children. The WNBA needs to suspend her,” someone else added.
Needless to say, fans were not happy with Cunningham.
About Dave Kelsey
Contributing author to The Comeback.