WNBA player Sophie Cunningham made her stance on transgender athletes crystal clear this week, unleashing a floodgate of support from the President of the United States to everyday Americans, all echoing her message about “protecting young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.” It was a single paragraph in a nearly 5,000-word profile that started this whole thing, but the impact? Massive.
The President’s Backing and Smith’s Strong Take
President Donald Trump himself is personally “following” the coverage of Cunningham’s remarks, according to his administration press secretary Karoline Leavitt. Leavitt told the Washington Post and other reporters at the White House that Trump holds “strong feelings about the issue,” asserting, “We want to protect women and girls.” She even went so far as to say Cunningham was speaking the “truth” about transgender female athletes. And talk about high-profile endorsement, the U.S. Department of Education threw its weight behind Cunningham too, posting on X and literally adding a crown atop her head. This isn’t just a casual nod, it’s a full-on embrace of her comments from the highest levels.
Adding to the chorus of support, sports and political pundit Stephen A. Smith weighed in on his SiriusXM Radio show. Smith declared Cunningham “is a thousand percent right,” though the source noted he was “echoing transphobic talking points” and “ignoring the scientific evidence about whether trans women and girls have an advantage in sports.” Smith pushed the hypothetical, asking, “What if an an NBA player decided to transition to playing in the WNBA? How elite would they be? How great would they be?” He insisted we “gotta put stuff in its proper perspective and call it like it is.” Smith even supports separate leagues for trans athletes, a suggestion the source pointed out seemed to overlook the historical context of the Negro League for Black professional baseball players.
The Backlash and Cunningham’s Unwavering Stand
But it wasn’t all crowns and endorsements. Cunningham’s remarks drew immediate and significant backlash. WNBA fans, sports writers, and athletes alike spoke out against her comments. Out reported that Cunningham’s use of phrases like “protect” and “biological men” were seen as “transphobic dog-whistles.” This swift pushback led a half-dozen reporters to confront Cunningham Wednesday, right before she led the Indiana Fever to a blowout win over the Connecticut Sun.
When pressed by reporters, Cunningham didn’t flinch. “I think I said what I said,” she stated firmly. “I think it’s kind of common sense. 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. And so I stand on what I said, and I always believe that.” She was even asked if she’s eyeing a career in politics. Cunningham brushed it off, saying, “I’m not a very political person. But I do have beliefs. I have morals, and I’ll always stand on those and be true to who I am.” She emphasized her strong feelings about “protecting young girls in sport and women in sport,” directly referencing Title IX. “If Title IX and women’s sports weren’t protected,” she argued, “then you wouldn’t hear about any type of women in sports. And so I think in the future it’s just really important to protect.”
Cunningham is clearly not backing down from her position, and the political and sports worlds are locked in debate over what she said. This isn’t just about one player’s comments, it’s about a conversation that’s only getting louder. We’ll be watching closely to see how this incredibly hot-button issue continues to unfold across sports.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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