Sophie Cunningham doubles down on opposition to trans women in women’s sports
WNBA player Sophie Cunningham repeated her opposition to trans women in women's sports, said her comments are 'common sense.'
Mark
Rising WNBA player Sophie Cunningham has quickly transformed into one of the most famous players in the league this season. With that increased fame for the Indiana player comes extra media attention and the ability to speak out on issues that she sees fit.
Cunningham commented on the polarizing issue of trans women competing in women’s sports in an ESPN feature earlier this week, and her opinion gained plenty of attention on all sides of the issue.
“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans,” Cunningham said in the ESPN article. “And I’m like, ‘I never once said that. I think that I am here to extend love.’
“But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”
Related
These 47 trans athletes have competed openly in college sports. Some have won, others have not.
Trans college athletes have been playing while out on men’s and women’s teams for years. Here are nearly 50 of them.
Get off the sidelines and into the game
Our weekly playbook is packed with everything from locker room chatter to pressing LGBTQ sports issues.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today
In a league that is more LGBTQ — about a third of the players are publicly out — than any other of the big pro sports leagues in America, any time a player says something along these lines, it’s going to be a big deal.
Cunningham expanded on the comments again on Wednesday.
“I said what I said. I think it’s kind of common sense,” Cunningham said before Indiana’s game. “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.”
A vehement contrast was posted to social media sites such as X by fans who did not appreciate Cunningham using these talking points.
The trans athlete debate is one of the biggest political distractions of our generation. The NCAA president testified that there are fewer than 10 openly transgender athletes out of 510k NCAA athletes. Yet this small issue dominates headlines. https://t.co/Qaqf9q7fMs— B.
(@ayoBee_) July 23, 2026
Some even wanted Cunningham suspended for her comments.
Cunningham’s star has certainly risen, and so has her platform to speak on issues she feels strongly about. She also hosts a podcast and doesn’t shy away from her newfound stardom and how that allows her opinions to shine above others.
As ESPN wrote on her speaking about trans women in women’s sports: “She’ll weigh in on how to ‘protect women’s sports,’ she says, because she’s in that world and feels qualified to speak to that world.”
As for her concerns regarding male athletes being in women’s locker rooms, it’s certainly not something that has ever happened in the WNBA. There has never been a man who has played in the top women’s basketball league in America. There has also never been a transgender woman competing in the WNBA.
Subscribe to the Outsports newsletter to keep up with your favorite out athletes, inspiring LGBTQ sports stories, and more.
