The transgender debate has many conservatives against trans athletes competing in women’s sports. However, these marginalized athletes have received plenty of support from some of the biggest cis gender women athletes, from Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles to FIFA Women’s World Cup winner Megan Rapinoe. However, one of Caitlin Clark’s teammates does not agree with them: Sophie Cunningham.
She is now receiving some backup from Outkick’s Jon Root, who called those who have supported trans athletes cowards.
“Sophie Cunningham did what Simone Biles, Megan Rapinoe, Serena Williams, A’ja Wilson, Paige Bueckers, Katie Ledecky, Alex Morgan, Coco Gauff, & Caitlin Clark have been afraid to say: MEN DON’T BELONG IN WOMEN’S SPORTS,” he tweeted.
Perhaps the most vocal supporter of trans athletes among those Root mentioned in his tweet is none other than Simone Biles, considered one of the greatest gymnasts in history and a multiple-time Olympic and World champion. She famously had a feud on the matter with fifth-place NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines, a well-known anti-trans activist.
Despite the opposition to trans athletes competing against cis females, studies have shown that trans athletes, who are mostly only allowed to compete after transitioning, do not fare as well as female athletes in actual competition. The most famous example is trans swimmer Lia Thomas tying with anti-trans activist Riley Gaines for fifth place.
The Journal of Sports Medicine also released a study in 2021 that there is no scientific evidence to support the ban on transgender athletes.
Sophie Cunningham Doubled Down On Anti-Trans Stance In Sports
ESPN’s Hallie Grossman released a profile on Sophie Cunningham where the Indiana Fever star also spoke about her political stances, including that on banning trans athletes from women’s sports:
“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. 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,” she said.
The current WNBA CBA states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA,” though this is still vague, as it does not rule out trans women from competing.
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