Sophie Cunningham Transgender Controversy Explained

Tracking the controversy surrounding Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham’s opposition to transgender women and girls participating in female sports, and the political and WNBA backlash that followed her remarks.

Cunningham Said Girls Should Not Have To Compete Against “Biological Men.” In a July 2026 ESPN profile, Cunningham said she wanted to “protect young girls in a locker room” and girls in sports who she said should not have to compete against “biological men.” Cunningham said she did not hate transgender people and described herself politically as “very much in the middle.” [WASHINGTON POST]

Cunningham Doubled Down And Called Her Position “Common Sense.” After her remarks generated criticism, Cunningham told reporters, “I said what I said,” characterized her position as “common sense” and said she would continue to stand by her beliefs. She also said she wanted to extend love to everyone and had “never once said” she hated the transgender community. [LOS ANGELES TIMES]

Cunningham Had Previously Objected To Lia Thomas Competing In Women’s Swimming. In 2022, after transgender University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas became the first transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I individual championship, Cunningham reposted a message saying female college athletes “deserve so much better than this.” She subsequently posted that she supported people of all races, religions, sexual preferences and genders and hoped everyone could have an opportunity to compete fairly. [LOS ANGELES TIMES]

The Trump White House Publicly Embraced Cunningham’s Comments. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump was following the controversy and agreed with Cunningham, while the Education Department posted an image of Cunningham wearing a crown with the message “common sense prevails.” Conservative commentator Clay Travis said he had sent video of Cunningham’s comments to Trump. [WASHINGTON POST]

WNBA Figures Publicly Rejected Cunningham’s Position. Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve criticized the growing political focus on transgender athletes and declared that “trans lives matter,” while Las Vegas Aces player Brianna Turner reiterated her support for the transgender community. Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase also publicly said transgender women belong in women’s sports. [WASHINGTON POST] [LOS ANGELES TIMES]

Lynx Coach Cheryl Reeve Wore A “Trans Kids Belong” Shirt Before Facing Cunningham’s Fever. Reeve wore the shirt before an August game between Minnesota and Indiana and said rhetoric portraying transgender people as threats to girls in locker rooms was harmful. Reeve and Cunningham also spoke privately before the game despite their opposing positions. [ASSOCIATED PRESS]

Pro-Cunningham Rallies And Counterprotests Began Following The Fever To Road Games. Cunningham’s comments became the focus of demonstrations outside WNBA arenas in Seattle, Portland and Minneapolis, with groups supporting restrictions on transgender participation in female sports facing counterprotesters supporting transgender rights. Cunningham was also booed by some opposing fans. The Fever said neither the organization nor Cunningham had advance knowledge of the Seattle demonstration. [ASSOCIATED PRESS]

A Seattle Storm Co-Owner Was Suspended After Confronting Teenage Cunningham Supporters. The WNBA fined and suspended Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton for five home games after she confronted two teenage fans who brought signs supporting Cunningham’s position on transgender athletes. The Storm apologized for the incident, and Cunningham subsequently criticized Keaton’s treatment of the fans. [REUTERS]

WNBA Security Wrongly Ordered Fans On Both Sides Of The Debate To Cover Their Shirts. At an August Fever-Atlanta Dream game, security personnel instructed fans wearing both anti-transgender-athlete messages and “Protect Trans Kids” shirts to cover them. The WNBA later said the fans had been incorrectly told to conceal the messages and said their freedom of expression should have been respected. [PEOPLE]

Conservative And Anti-Transgender Groups Organized Additional Rallies Around Cunningham’s Games. Groups including Texas Values, Moms for Liberty and the Independent Council on Women’s Sports organized a rally ahead of an August Fever-Dallas Wings game, extending a series of demonstrations prompted by Cunningham’s comments. The controversy has persisted even though there has never been a publicly out transgender woman playing in the WNBA. [CBS TEXAS]

Seattle Times Columnist Matt Calkins Resigned After The Newspaper Declined To Publish His Column Related To The Cunningham Controversy. Calkins said he resigned after 11 years at the newspaper after editors declined to run a column based on interviews with female student athletes who attended a pro-Cunningham rally and opposed competing against transgender girls. Calkins said the decision was the latest in a series of columns the paper had declined to publish and left him feeling unable to perform his job as a columnist. [MATT CALKINS]