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

[fromorbit]

Big development. In the US few big women's sports stars have dared to speak up in the defence of women having sports. Lots of coverage of this going viral. Demands that the WBNA [Women's Basketball league] take action against her.

Sophie Cunningham says it’s ‘common sense’ to keep trans athletes out of women’s sports

In the ESPN article, Cunningham said she wanted to “protect young girls in the locker room” and that “they shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”

“I said what I said. I think it’s kind of common sense,” Cunningham said before Indiana’s 123-88 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday. “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.”

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7464960/2026/07/22/sophie-cunningham-trans-comments-womens-sports/

Trump Whitehouse speaking up in Cunningham's support so getting political.
https://www.aol.com/articles/sophie-cunningham-backed-white-house-003500000.html

Despite the recent Supreme Court verdict which said women can have sports a lot of Democratic leading states are continuing to say they should not have their own sports, but only mixed sex competitions.

Likely to be an ongoing political issue and be a topic in the upcoming midterms.

Happy Birthday, Sophie 🎂

Haha I came straight from wnba subreddits on Reddit to post that story, knew I should have checked the thread first 😂 they are so batshit

Sophie booed in Canada

https://www.dailymail.com/sport/wnba/article-16062881/sophie-cunningham-wnba-transgender-debate.html

Busy booing women but guess what they have a new crazy masot

Toronto Tempo reveal new non-binary mascot with Sophie Cunningham, Indiana Fever in attendance

https://www.hitc.com/toronto-tempo-reveal-new-non-binary-mascot-with-sophie-cunningham-indiana-fever-in-attendance/

A culture war over trans athletes invades the WNBA, and ratings soar

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2026-08-18/former-nba-players-troll-wnba-by-demanding-draft-eligibility

Every time I think this can't get more crazy it escalates. WNBA is having to issue statements constantly.

It's worth noting, however, that the WNBA subreddit is not affiliated with the league in any way. The WNBA issued a statement to clarify that amid the Cunningham controversy.

"The WNBA does not moderate or have any affiliation with the r/WNBA subreddit," a WNBA spokesperson said, per Meghan L. Hall of USA Today.
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/wnba-issues-clear-statement-sophie-121800019.html

“The WNBA is aware of interactions at Sunday night’s game in Atlanta in which fans were asked by league security to cover their shirts,” the WNBA statement reads, via ABC News. “This should not have happened.”
https://www.thebiglead.com/sophie-cunningham-debate-wnba-fan-shirt-controversy/

I think it's possible, likely even, that some folx, who would never have considered leaving their parent's basement going to a game, are getting tickets just to boo her.

Indeed. However the fact is hating Sophie like hating JKR is very much not working.

Their obsession is undermining their own cause. The drama is great media.

What ever next. Wonder if the media will wonder what else happens on preddit.

Sophie Cunningham Was 'Banned' From WNBA Reddit, Then Moderators Claimed She Wasn't
https://www.fashiontimes.co.uk/reddit-controversy-sophie-cunningham-name-filtered-1762891

Canadian powerlifting champion April Hutchinson leads first Sophie Cunningham rally outside the US
Canadian powerlifter April Hutchinson led the seventh Cunningham rally, the first held outside the US

https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/canadian-powerlifting-champion-april-hutchinson-leads-first-sophie-cunningham-rally-outside-us

Sophie interview with USA Today - summarises some of the recent developments:

Sophie Cunningham says WNBA can discuss both controversy, basketball | Exclusive

https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/wnba/2026/08/19/sophie-cunningham-wnba-trans-athletes-league-leadership/91340010007/

Well done that woman, April Hutchison.
Now, are leading sportsmen ever gonna pipe up?
I don't mean retired players who have nothing to lose by performative application to join the women's league.
I mean men at the top of their game right now, who have something at stake.
Or is it as usual all going to have to be shouldered by women?

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/woke-broke-nike-faces-backlash-125457070.html

"However, now that XX-XY Athletics has directly called out Nike, all eyes are on the corporate giant to see if they will address the pressure head-on or simply stay silent on the matter."

Are they going to double down or reposition themselves for a slam dunk.

Nike should call for...Dylan Mulvaney.
Just do it!

Go Sophie!!

I played competitive female basketball as a teen.

I played mixed basketball for fun - it wasn’t an era where there were loads of basketball players in my area and we’d have mixed camps where we played together. HOWEVER, it wasn’t the same game played that way - it was very much understood that the older boys should go easy on younger boys and girls in terms of contact and it wasn’t possible for girls to play to their potential or use advanced tactics (you don’t play hardcore pressing zone defence against someone who is bigger and stronger than you - you man mark the people your own size). It was the equivalent of a kick about - you all use your skills in a low key way, accepting size differential. Mixed sport is not a substitute for playing competitively against members of your own sex.

That Yahoo article is interesting, it refers to the issue of women's sports as 'a debate some consider as long overdue'.

Not that long ago it would have been described as 'a debate many feel is transphobic'.

Also pleased to hear of Nike's misfortunes. I always bought their gym clothes but stopped after the Dylan Mulvaney campaign. Go woke go broke indeed.

Lol. Looks like the trans lobby are reporting posts. Load of bollocks (pun intended).

There's this frankly idiotic retort...what is Cunningham going on about, there are no TIMs in women's basketball.
That's not the point.
She's arguing a bigger point, women's sport in general.
Look what happens when TIMs <do> occupy women's sport, college volleyball is the classic example.
Here, just a couple of them corrupted the whole ethos, and effectively ruined things. But there was no one speaking out, the coaches and sport heirarchy made sure of that.
Also, no money in college volleyball, it's below people's notice, no female there could have the clout Cunningham has in pro sport.
Cunningham isn't specifically fighting for women's basketball, she's laying down a marker.
She's saying enough is enough, she's speaking out for all women in all women's sports, and saying what needs to be said.
What an absolute riot, not a single hateful word towards trans, literally a few sentences of truth re women's rights and opportunities, and chaos on the pro-trans in women's sport results.
What a prime example of the disinfectant of sunlight, and zero ability for the other side to apply critical thinking and defend their cause.
Just toddlers throwing their toys out of prams.

Still no decision as to what a women is, I'm guessing.

I wonder how the discussions go, and whether they use the real words like men and women.

It always comes down to the same issue. Define woman. If you want to keep men out, you have to keep every man out.

Such a head scratcher. How on earth are they going to do it.

if it wasn't for the exposure of all the rampant misogyny, I could almost enjoy this.

Coverup is falling apart. There are a bunch of commentators/reporters telling the truth in the US now. Mostly clustered in right wing media, but they are there the attempt to silence anyone elsewhere is being exposed and people are stepping up.

This is a columnist who was stopped about writing about pro-women protesters at a WBNA game: He resigned.

Matt Calkins

After 11 years as a sports columnist at the Seattle Times, I have decided to resign. It was entirely my choice, and it was not an easy one. The impetus was the Times declining to run a column I wrote from the perspective of two female student athletes who were opposed to competing against biological males. It was one of several pieces of mine that had been spiked, and I no longer felt like I could properly do my job as a columnist. I lay out the situation in greater detail in the link below, but I want to say that I enjoyed my time with the paper, find the talent there to be immense, and have no animosity toward anyone who works there. It was just time for a change.
https://mattycee.substack.com/p/i-was-a-sports-columnist-at-the-seattle?

Pro women protests spreading to non Sophie games now:

https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/lynx-valkyries-coaches-rip-save-womens-sports-movement-pro-trans-mob-rocks-1st-rally-non-fever-game

Still trying to drown out any opinion they don't like and yet the message is getting out. Despite their best shouty efforts they're losing, when that becomes obvious to even the most reality denying of them, 😂 there's going to be tears before bedtime, oh yes there is.😂

That man has some serious integrity.

ADF sends letter to WNBA after controversies over treatment of Sophie Cunningham supporters
Suzanne Beecher, legal counsel for ADF, told Fox News Digital that free-speech protections at the federal, state and local levels may apply. Citing the possible use of public funds at WNBA facilities, Beecher said "there could even be First Amendment arguments."

https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/adf-sends-letter-wnba-controversies-treatment-sophie-cunningham-supporters

Two half months till mid terms

‘The Radical Left, They’re Crazy’ — President Donald Trump Doubles Down Against Trans Athletes Amid Sophie Cunningham-Fuelled Controversy
https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/radical-left-crazy-president-donald-044836642.html

Lines are drawn, guns are loaded (figuratively speaking), it's only a matter of time before the civil war kicks off.

Someone should remind the nutters that the Republicans won the last one. 😂

The war has begun

https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/ny-liberty-run-pro-trans-messages-scoreboard-vs-fever-protesters-erupt-outside-arena-refuse-interview

I think Fever should run that message too. Of course people with trans identity should be loved and welcomed to enjoy spectating the sports! Obviously!

It's like there's a 56kg boxing match. They decide to run a banner with "57+kg people, you are loved and welcome to enjoy this match. Your theoretical eligibility or lack of to actually join in this sanctioned event as a participant is zero factor. Try the fish!"