Sophie Cunningham’s comments about transgender athletes caused quite a stir in the WNBA world.
But on Wednesday, the Fever guard/forward said she wasn’t changing her stance on the matter.
Cunningham, 29, opened up in a wide-ranging interview with ESPN published Tuesday. Among the topics covered was trans people’s participation in sports. Cunningham denied that she dislikes trans people but did say she wants to protect “young girls.”
“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that,’” Cunningham told the outlet.
“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.”
Before the Fever’s game against the Sun, Cunningham addressed the feature head-on.
“I said what I said, I think it’s common sense,” she told reporters. “I think I’ll always believe in that, it’s really important to protect children. And that’s little girls, who are also involved in that category. I stand by what I said and I’ll always believe that.”
Cunningham said she’s not a political person but did say she has “morals” that she’s true to that she plans to stick by before adding that there is space for everyone, including trans athletes.
“I extend love, I don’t dislike anyone, I think there’s room for absolutely everyone here,” she added. “I think there’s room to love everyone. I truly think when you get people in the same room, you actually have a lot in common with a lot of people. … But I’m also there to love biological women, and I think there are rights that need to be protected.”
Cunningham has been labeled, particularly in some online circles as “MAGA Barbie,” but she pushed back against that notion in the interview with ESPN, saying that her beliefs are more nuanced than some people believe.
“I’m very much in the middle,” she said. “I agree with things on both sides, disagree with things on both sides. And that’s all I’ve ever said about my political beliefs.”
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