US women’s sports star Sophie Cunningham speaking up on defending women's sports

"Right-wingers have convinced a massive portion of people in our country that (transgender athletes) are a threat to sports in America, when mathematically that's not the case at all,"

I see 'Left-wingers' are hiding the truth behind general lies, again, it's not 'transgender athletes ' and a 'threat to sport' but 'transIDing males' earasing female sport.

Perhaps the massive portion of people aren't buying the lies any more, and have started rejecting all the gaslighting this nasty ideology has cruised by on for years.

"Right-wingers have convinced a massive portion of people in our country that (transgender athletes) are a threat to sports in America, when mathematically that's not the case at all,"

Traditionally, allowing a small group of people to have an unfair advantage is not considered to be left wing, Rather the opposite in fact.

It’s so heartening to see her shoes sell out. And such a good sign to businesses and organisations generally. I wonder if her sponsorship companies would now worry about the backlash if they dropped her? I’m possibly being too optimistic there.

I saw this the other day and I think it is an excellent breakdown of what has gone wrong with the politicisation of trans.

At work the only really active political people are the ones with rainbow lanyards. I don't even mind pronouns in the bio as some peoples names can be ambiguous.

https://x.com/JenniferSey/status/2081084311789342835/video/1?s=46

Jennifer Sey is always quick to respond with a tailored video. I hope Sophie sees this.

Thanks for the link, fromorbit, interesting article and I agree with TheywontletmehavethenameIwant's take on it.

The author seems to be trying to push SC into being political, which she herself carefully avoids - suggesting she might align herself with Gaines, referring to the "MAGA Barbie" moniker she seems to want to shed" .

That's really sneaky because to the best of my limited knowledge of SC, she never wanted, sought or accepted the "MAGA Barbie" moniker but 'seems to want to shed' implies that she encouraged being called MAGA Barbie at some point.

This para is a tangle of contradiction, innuendo and speculation:
If Cunningham's goal is to ultimately translate her WNBA career into a political one, this may give her the glaring opportunity to do so. Maybe, like many people, she doesn't want to be "political" when sharing her views. That's fine, but she's got a mighty soapbox.

Has SC ever said she wants a political career? I don't think so. Has she denied being "political" ? I don't think that's a 'maybe', I think she has definitely says she is not.

But the article has set SC up as a right wing christian anti-trans campaigner who will use her sporting career as a springboard to politics.
Being re-tweeted by Gaines and praised by the White House adds fuel to that fire, but that's not in SC's control .

It is a long, detailed, and in some ways a thoughtful article. But it could be studied on journalism courses as an example of how to take some facts about an individual, and then weave a whole web of suggestion, innuendo and speculation around those facts to turn the subject into an avatar of something the writer disagrees with.

Maybe SC will end up with a political career, proudly wearing a 'MAGA Barbie' cap, on the 'right wing' of US politics, who knows?
My point is that she's being unjustifiably critiqued in this article as if she already was.

Thanks for the link

"... Gaines is now one of the leading anti-trans advocates in the country."

I think we can tell which side the author of this article is on, anyone who refers to women who are standing up for their rights as 'anti-trans' are biased and uninformed and their opinions are not worth listening to.

Something has happened, and this isn't working anymore.

I've been thinking about this too. From what I'm reading and seeing, companies and organisations are realising that most people really don't want this state of affairs to continue, it's a failed experiment. Sports have become unfair/unsafe for women, companies are putting in time and money that could be better used elsewhere and everyone's walking on eggshells. The TRAs will see this and so there's a power struggle going on.

Tanya de Grunwald's latest 'This Isn't Working' podcast talks about it in detail.

Amazing, isn't it?
Whenever an athlete makes pro-transfemales in natal female sports comments, there's nothing controversial, nothing to see, nothing to have to be careful about.
But the moment the likes of Cunningham make comments that were considered non-hateful and following the science just 15-20 years ago, she has to watch it, because she's now going to be watched.
Coded language for it being fine for her life being made Hell.
And here we go again, it's ok for females to have their sporting chances taken away by males in their events/teams, but the fact that apparently there's an epidemic of trans identified individuals being killed by transphobes, or apparently transphobic hate speech and bullying is peaking, Cunningham should just shut her mouth.
The conflating of fake narratives to make a thinly-veiled warning to Cunningham is so reprehensible.
But it's all the trans allies have, no facts, just a constant need to shut down the debate.
Something has happened, and this isn't working anymore.

Brilliant. What a woman.

Love this...

https://x.com/i/status/2080952966924616121

Other than the male DSD athletes in female events, was Laurel Hubbard the first prominent TIM to garner significant media attention, the weightlifting in the 2020 Olympics?
I remember at the time thinking, surely the media will call him out, crowds will boo or not attend, that this will be the first and last time such a travesty occurs.
How wrong I was.
Lia Thomas, surely the furore here has to signify the end? No.
Imane Khelif caused a firestorm, but even a male punching females to Gold just didn't break the iron grip of this movement.
I think if Sophie Cunningham is to be the breaking the dam moment, then it's incumbent on male athletes to also speak up clearly.
It's a source of eternal shame that men in sport, especially at the top level, have said fuck all to support their female compatriots.
Just exceptions like the wonderful Daley Thompson.

There’s something about her confidence- she isn’t trying to persuade anyone, appease anyone, explain anything. She’s simply describing the world as she sees it and what other people think about that is neither here nor there.
Very admirable. There’s a lot to be said for being uninterested in what other people think or how they take your words.

I only recently became aware of her due to the pointing video, which I found hilarious and badass. No surprise to find out she’s not afraid to stand up to bullies.

Have any politicians commented?

Are Democrates demonstrating an awareness that this issue has been toxic for them?

Oh dear, sad times.

And by that grifter you mean the mediocre male swimmer who cheated his way to the top by declaring himself a woman.

Sorry Polly, Thomas was the grifter. Not good enough to make his mark in men's swimming, so thought he'd swing his dick in women's swimming.
You can make any argument you like about Gaines, but when it comes down to it, she was at least in the correct category.
Of course, if there was a category for cheating bastard, dear Lia would be a perfect fit.
Just not the one he chose.

Whatever else you may label that grifter as being, poor is completely inaccurate.

WOW! That says it all, doesn’t it? 😍 Suck it, haters! Athletic, gets involved with young girl ballers who want to follow in her footsteps, smart, gorgeous, what’s not to love?

Well dangit, I thought the outrageous throat punch picture would show up, but if you click the link it’s there. Sophie is a great teammate, because she also got a foul called on her for a little payback later in the game!