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.

The headline of the article is

Aryna Sabalenka gives take on controversial WTA transgender policy before US Open - 'Men are much stronger than women'

Not sure why the tweet has reversed the order of take and controversial

Very blatant!

Blimey. That's sailing close to the wind of a libel suit.

Article critical of Bryant's claims gets to the point:

Writer arrested for allegedly beating wife calls Sophie Cunningham 'anti-trans, anti-black' in wild op-ed

So it's hardly surprising to see a career-long racial idolater like Howard Bryant try to diminish Cunningham while scoring political points. Bryant has spent years trying to elevate his standing with the cool kids in sports media, especially after his arrest.

In 2011, Bryant was arrested on charges of allegedly assaulting his wife in public in front of his 6-year-old son. He was also charged with assaulting a police officer who responded after witnesses allegedly saw Bryant choking his wife.

Later, Bryant blamed the arrest on — wait for it — racism. Bryant is Black. His wife, whom he allegedly choked, is White.

These are the people trying to convince us that women like Cunningham and Clark are the problem. Do not forget that.

Let's set the culture war aside for a moment and state a few facts:

Sophie Cunningham is not engaging in partisan politics by saying little girls shouldn't have to compete against biological males. That's not a political statement. Nearly 80% of Americans agree with her. That includes Democrats, Republicans and independents.

She also plays in the WNBA. Her career exists because men's and women's sports are separate. This issue is personal to her.

Finally, the fact that Cunningham's comments are considered controversial says more about sports media than it does about Cunningham.
https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/writer-arrested-allegedly-beating-wife-calls-sophie-cunningham-anti-trans-anti-black-wild-op-ed

Clay Travis ups offer to $10 million for WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces to play high school boys basketball team
The challenge follows widespread criticism of Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham for defending women's sports
https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/clay-travis-ups-offer-10-million-wnba-champion-las-vegas-aces-play-high-school-boys-basketball-team

Anyone who genuinely disagreed with SC would be campaigning for mixed sex sport.

The reality is that her detractors just don’t take women’s sport seriously.

The competition for the most crazy Sophie take is wild. Jezebel where it is always c 2015 have come in with a strong entry.

Sophie Cunningham Is Working Hard to Be the WNBA’s Biggest Loser
https://www.jezebel.com/sophie-cunningham-is-working-hard-to-be-the-wnbas-biggest-loser

Meanwhile two more pro-women allies have been planned.

If only a paper like the Guardian had a chief sports writer who had been writing informed articles about this issue for years.

Oh, thank goodness they do!!!

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/jun/20/no-magic-solution-in-the-battle-over-trans-inclusion-in-womens-sport

Do these people not read the Guardian?

Does the Guardian not read the Guardian?

I'm like "Guardian, bruh! Do you even Guardian?"

For someone who's gonna be last, out on their white blonde ass, ie a no nothing nobody out of touch transphobe, these scurrilous writers certainly are spending <a lot> of time on Sophie.
It's <almost> as if she <might> have something to say that <many/most/almost all> people agree with.
The only thing that's coming last with these jokers is their "journalism".

Christ I thought that shite had folded ages ago.

Don’t forget there are the US Guardian and the Australian Guardian offices where they are even more TRA:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/nov/02/guardian-editorial-response-transgender-rights-uk

I think they’re both terrified of her and excited that she’s the face that launched a thousand low effort thinkpieces.

For newcomers great timeline of story so far. Also picks up Sophie first spoke up about this in 2022 only then it wasn't turned into a media storm

https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba/article/sophie-cunningham-controversy-timeline-of-the-latest-discourse-around-the-wnba-what-caitlin-clark-has-said-221320700.html

Coco Gauff is getting a lot of praise on social media for her 'thoughtful and empathetic' response a question the WTA's new genetic testing policy:

"I understand the reasoning behind it. I do think that this kind of conversation has created a lot of animosity towards the trans community, which I'm not really a big fan of, but I also understand the need to [account for] the biological difference and the need to protect that and preserve that. So I think it's a conversation that is very nuanced.

I kind of agree with trying to protect the fairness in women's sports. But I also do not like the attack that it is creating. People who don't really care, but just want to use this as a reason to attack the trans community. So I'm not really a big fan of that either. I don't really know how to answer this question in a way that people aren't going to spin it. But as far as where I stand, I definitely support the trans community, but I also support the need of creating fairness in sport too."

...

she's basically said the same thing as Sophie Cunningham. But everyone knows Gauff is liberal, so her position is progressive. Cunningham is coded as MAGA, so she's a bigot.

It's why Sophie's interjection is so important. It draws out so called trans ally "middle grounders" to have to face up to the truth of what she's saying.
Gauff then rephrases Sophie's comments into tones that are more acceptable despite as you say pretty much conveying what Sophie was saying all along.
Because in the end, the science is the science and the truth is the truth whatever the Just Be Kinders want to have it.
The narrative is drifting from the groupthinkers and they know they're losing the room.

It reminds me of women complaining that their ideas are ignored or talked over and then A Man will say the same thing and the boss saying "oh wow great input Chad, so glad you're in the meeting!"

And it's weird because the liberals/democrats are the good guys, or so they like to think and tell us all the time. (some of my friends are democrats!)

I've pretty much lost all my Democrat friends. All two of them, lol. Not denouncing Trump enough, and boring them to tears on my objections to TRA, were enough to pay to them.

That comparison between Sophie Cunningham and Coco Gauff is fascinating given the article I've just stumbled across, written by a woman who was a Chinese Red Guard in her youth. She writes of having to be extremely careful to say the right things in the right way and to pretend to believe in absurdities, or she might be denounced by the Faithful. Sounds familiar.

www.freespeechbacklash.com/article/cautionary-tale-tyranny-one-maos-little-red-guards

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/aug/7/enes-kanter-freedom-declares-2027-wnba-prospect-cites-eligibility/

start-

Enes Kanter Freedom declares himself 2027 WNBA prospect, cites eligibility rules

“Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom said Friday he is declaring for the 2027 WNBA Draft, saying he has examined the league’s eligibility rules and believes they make him eligible — a claim that is not supported by the WNBA’s published rules.

In a video posted to X, Mr. Freedom, wearing an orange WNBA-branded sweatshirt, said his team had “carefully examined the WNBA’s eligibility criteria and governing framework surrounding self-identification and inclusion.”

“Based on the current guidelines, I can and am officially declaring my eligibility for the upcoming WNBA draft in April 2027,” he said.

The WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement does not contain a self-identification standard. Article XIII, Section 1(a) of the 409-page agreement states only that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA,” and does not define “woman” or address gender identity anywhere in the document, according to an OutKick report. Neither the WNBA nor the players’ union has publicly clarified how eligibility would be determined for a transgender or self-identified player, the outlet reported.

Freedom, an 11-year NBA veteran and the third overall pick of the 2011 draft, said he was not trying to mock anyone.

“I am definitely not here to mock, make fun of, or disrespect any community or personal choices,” he said, adding that he wants the WNBA’s rules “applied equally, consistently, and without exception.”

The post is capitalizing on controversy surrounding remarks from Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who said in a July ESPN profile that she wants to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to compete against biological men, while maintaining she does not “hate trans” people. The remarks have prompted rallies and counter-rallies outside WNBA arenas, and Cunningham addressed the fallout again this week, telling a USA Network broadcast that she wants “love and respect” to remain even amid disagreement, while lamenting that the debate has overshadowed the basketball itself, according to an OutKick report.

And continues

it ends with

Freedom has previously floated joining the WNBA as a rhetorical device. In 2023, he suggested he could “put on a wig, identify as a woman” to compete in the league, remarks he said at the time were meant to make a point about male athletes in women’s sports rather than a serious bid to play, according to a Sporting News report carried by Yahoo Sports. “

It's a right wing grift. She's following in the footsteps of other women who are acceptable to anti-trans conservatives, and she will be living off this grift for years. There are literally no trans women in the WBNA and their never have been.

Fortunately, there are other women athletes who do support trans rights such as the awesome Gabby Williams.

"“There’s a lot of discourse around trans athletes and what they can compete in. I would welcome a trans athlete on my team or against my team. Anytime,” Williams said. “I don’t think it’s a problem in the world, it’s just another way to kind of attack trans people.”

Head coach Natalie Nakase also supports transgender people:

“I’m big on that because I have been criticized for my height, for my ethnicity. I’ve been in those ‘you shouldn’t belong here,’ [moments] and for me I don’t want that space, especially Golden State, to ever feel like that. I’m all about women, little girls deserving to play, and that includes trans women. So I’m all about inclusivity.”

It's the usual right wing wedges issues, supported by useful idiots in the gender critical movement. If you think they care a bit about women in sport you are a fool.

https://bsky.app/profile/twinskippy.bsky.social/post/3mshg5ybxic2v

I don't know if the right wing wedgers you refer to, whoever they are, 'care a bit about women in sport'.

But I do know that I care a lot about women in sport, and it's good to have someone high profile like Sophie Cunningham having the courage to speak out in support of women's sports being for biological women, in the face of the kind of smears she's been getting, e.g. calling her MAGA Barbie when she has not made any party-political statements, or accusing her of being 'anti-trans' although she said
“I truly believe there is a safe space and love for EVERYBODY. Biological girls, biological boys, trans women, and trans men. Everyone is welcome at my table! You can disagree and still be kind."

As hate-fuelled transphobia goes, it's a bit crap, isn't it, Mouldemort?
It would have been helpful if she had actually said something nasty about transpeople, it would have made accusations that she is 'anti-trans' less far-fetched.

But no, she unsportingly talks about safety and love and kindness for transpeople - very inconvenient, but the facts often are.

This is good. Fair play to Enes Kanter Freedom. Do stunning and brave!

So How is it going for you now? I have no idea whether there are none or some TiMs competing in the WNBA but I am pretty damn certain that 'personality traits' should not be used as a qualifier.

Wow, and up is down, rain pours upwards, etc.
You know that Cunningham speaks for the vast vast majority, only your imposed period of silencing dissent kept your flimsy hold on society intact.
Now that "no debate" is over, you have to try and sound confident, because you can't trash women's free speech anymore.
The only person you're fooling is yourself.