WNBA star Sophie Cunningham praised the Washington state high school girls who walked out of a cross-country race in protest of a transgender teammate.
“Good work girls,” Cunningham wrote in a comment on an XX-XY Athletics Instagram post about the protest.
The three-word message echoed her earlier defense of teenage fans caught in a confrontation at a Seattle Storm game after showing support for her stance on women’s sports.
Riley Gaines, Sophie Cunningham, and XX-XY Athletics founder Jen Sey pose courtside after an Indiana Fever game with a sign thanking Cunningham. (Riley Gaines/XX-XY Athletics)
RALLY PLANNED TO SUPPORT WASHINGTON GIRLS WHO REFUSED TO RACE AGAINST TRANSGENDER TEAMMATE IN CROSS COUNTRY
About a dozen Camas High School runners walked off the course Oct. 13 during a meet against Battle Ground. Their teammate had begun the season competing in boys’ races before switching to girls’ competition.
The dispute has drawn national attention and prompted plans for an Oct. 21 rally supporting the runners.
Cunningham has previously argued that girls’ and women’s sports should be separated by sex. In a July ESPN profile, she described her position as protecting opportunities for girls while rejecting accusations that she hated transgender people.
Later that month, two teenage supporters attended a Fever-Storm game at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena wearing XX-XY Athletics shirts and carrying a sign thanking Cunningham for speaking up for girls.
The teenagers alleged that Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton confronted them and used profanity. The WNBA subsequently fined Keaton an undisclosed amount and suspended her from attending Seattle’s next five home games.
Cunningham then reposted OutKick’s reporting of the Seattle controversy in July, writing “Bravo to those girls for standing up for what they believe,” on X.
STORM CO-OWNER SUSPENDED AFTER INCIDENT WITH SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM FANS AS STAR BREAKS SILENCE ON CONTROVERSY
Cunningham also emphasized that she welcomed people regardless of gender identity and believed disagreement should not prevent kindness. But she sharply criticized the conduct attributed to Keaton.
“Truly embarrassing of the co-owner. Unfortunately shows the type of leader she is,” Cunningham wrote.
Storm majority owner Ginny Gilder apologized for the co-owner’s comments.
“Everyone who attends a Storm game deserves to feel welcome,” Gilder said in a statement that also reaffirmed the team’s commitment to treating fans respectfully.
The Fever said at the time that neither the organization nor Cunningham had advance knowledge of the demonstration held outside the Seattle arena or contact with its organizers.
The Camas dispute now brings Cunningham’s support back to Washington as voters prepare to consider Initiative 638 on Nov. 3. The measure would prohibit biologically male students from competing in certain female-only school sports and require health care provider verification of biological sex.
Backers say the proposal would protect fair competition. Opponents say it would exclude transgender girls and create new medical and privacy burdens.
The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) has said its gender-identity eligibility policy follows state law and that it cannot implement proposed restrictions that would violate that law.
Amy Sousa, who helped organize demonstrations supporting Cunningham during the WNBA season, is organizing the “Camas Courage” rally for Oct. 21.
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“You should not have to become student activists. Adults are now taking the reins and adults are standing up,” Sousa said in an interview.
