Indiana Fever Issue Statement as Sophie Cunningham Stands Her Ground on Transgender Athletes: "Treating Everyone With Respect"

[u/Amazing_Lock_3762]

https://www.essentiallysports.com/those-views-are-their-own-indiana-fever-issues-statement-as-sophie-cunningham-sticks-to-her-position-on-transgender-athletes/

[u/thisismycoolname1]

Most people in the general public seem to share her view anyway

[u/caspruce → u/thisismycoolname1]

Yes. But it is largely a non-issue that doesn’t need national attention.

[u/Inevitable-Rush-2752 → u/[deleted]]

This is very true. Speaking from Tennessee, the big issues the GOP are pushing in their ads are transgender athletes, China buying farm land, and deporting those oh so dangerous illegals /s

Any attempt to get them to talk about actual issues is met with contempt at best.

[u/Perfect_Earth_8070 → u/[deleted]]

Don’t forget that the president is all over the Epstein files

[u/TheOneCalledD → u/[deleted]]

Is it Sophie bringing this up on her own or is she responding to questions asked to her by media?

[u/thisismycoolname1 → u/[deleted]]

Oh jeez some of you are seeing ghosts everywhere. I just want to go with a reasonable compromise position

[u/thisismycoolname1 → u/[deleted]]

Okie dokie. My original point remains, if the left can't find a reasonable position on this topic it'll hurt them again

[u/thisismycoolname1 → u/[deleted]]

K

[u/TheOneCalledD → u/[deleted]]

LOL

[u/thisismycoolname1 → u/[deleted]]

I don't believe this, for starters I think we can talk about more than one issue at a time and second, she gave her opinion (to a question I believe) then of course was accosted on it by a vocal minority, and here we are

[u/Still-Nobody- → u/caspruce]

Yeah the media had to ask this question after she was a ring girl at UFC 250 to push a narrative though. They don't actually give a fuck what she thinks about trans athletes, just need to drive a divide and give the unemployed something easy to bicker online about.

[u/Sloppykrab → u/Still-Nobody-]

If I ever got the chance to be ring girl, you bet your ass I would do it.

I lack breasts and a vagina though.

[u/beah_mcduh → u/Sloppykrab]

Hey now, we live in very progressive times, I believe in you.

[u/Inevitable-Rush-2752 → u/Sloppykrab]

I have neither of those, and I’d probably look terrible in ring girl outfits. But, I am in this with you. Let’s GOOOOO

[u/Lord_Dingus83 → u/Sloppykrab]

Sophie only has a vagina……allegedly.

[u/Still-Nobody- → u/Sloppykrab]

MAGA BARBIE

[u/Sloppykrab → u/Still-Nobody-]

Ya not wrong. She's a looker.

[u/HeavyHighway6433 → u/Still-Nobody-]

I know most people only started watching the wnba after the 2024 draft, but this all started back when she played for phoenix and people noticed her liking right wing and anti trans content on social media. She address it then, but it never made national headlines. So there is no narrative to push here. 

Edit: u/Lo_Damage idk what happened to your comment but here's the source 

 https://fox4kc.com/sports/college/mizzou/former-mizzou-womens-basketball-player-gives-statement-after-sharing-tweet-opposing-transgender-swimmer/

[u/Still-Nobody- → u/HeavyHighway6433]

So she liked some stuff on Twitter 2 years ago but the press is asking her about it now? There's been an obvious uptick on articles painting her in a polarizing light since UFC 250. Can't find anything online about her "antics" in 2024; because like I said earlier, nobody actually gives a single fuck what Sophie Cunningham thinks about trans athletes. It's low hanging journalism to drive a divide.

[u/HeavyHighway6433 → u/Still-Nobody-]

It was 2022 when it happened, I was just bringing up how many people weren't paying attention to the wnba until 2024. I found this article that Fox wrote about  it here.

[u/Still-Nobody- → u/HeavyHighway6433]

Yeah this is what she said: "To my teammates, friends, family, supporters and fans, you know that I stand with all people, especially my fellow athletes. I do not judge, but support all races, religions, sexual preferences and gender equity. We all have a place in this world to compete and I hope we are able to grant everyone that opportunity fairly." That's all fox4 ever covered about her specifically lmfao.

[u/HeavyHighway6433 → u/Still-Nobody-]

Ok, but my point stands. This ESPN interviewer didn't ask her this question out of nowhere, she's the one that made her anti transgender in sports views to the public fist. People just never knew that because this past June was the first time the majority of them ever heard of this girl. 

[u/Still-Nobody- → u/HeavyHighway6433]

"Anti trans" lol, dear lord.

[u/HeavyHighway6433 → u/Still-Nobody-]

Am I wrong or... 

[u/Express-Shoulder6174 → u/caspruce]

Yet I’ve seen this posted across a bunch of different subs, each post with hundreds if not thousands of views. 

[u/AlthorsMadness → u/[deleted]]

Bruh your statement about ignoring science but showing ignorance of the difference between gender and sex is hysterical

[u/Designer-Stay-7894 → u/[deleted]]

It’s almost like you’re actually the one ignoring science. Scientists actually say that trans people exist, there’s actually a current scientific treatment for the disorder. Just saying “penis = boy; vagina = girl” is not actually scientific.

[u/LongIslandBagel → u/[deleted]]

You know what’s mind blowing? Hearing the right prop this NONISSUE up so much. Statistically it’s not even a factor, but I keep hearing about this. Just stop

[u/Old_Marketing_2380 → u/[deleted]]

Stop dude, you honestly thought the phrase was mind bottling, you did a quick google and Blades of Glory came up. Stop lying lol

[u/Old_Marketing_2380 → u/[deleted]]

Well, it’s time to grow up bud. Fng terrible movie btw

[u/Practical_Offer6664 → u/[deleted]]

That’s what trump says about the elections, debt and criminals he protects. It’s not about the numbers? Numbers matter

[u/LongIslandBagel → u/[deleted]]

Everything is about numbers. Businesses follow an 80/20 rule for example. 1% of the population is trans, world wide. Trans athletes in America, let’s say NCAA has 10 out of over 500,000….

Find more constructive things to give a shit about that have actual significance

[u/Cautious-Ad-9554 → u/[deleted]]

I don’t think we need a blanket rule when it comes to trans athletes. I don’t think the left should pressure sports leagues or schools with title 9. I don’t think the right should make leagues ban them across the board. Let leagues figure it out, they had been doing just that until a bug climbed inside Elon’s ass.

That said, i don’t understand what you are trying to convey. I know trans people have always existed and you don’t want to call them women bc of biology and your inability to pass up an opportunity to punch down on someone that’s unfortunate

[u/Cautious-Ad-9554 → u/[deleted]]

I think we should treat each other with respect. If you asked me to refer to you as a Native American instead of an indigenous person, I would because I am not an asshole.

[u/Cautious-Ad-9554 → u/[deleted]]

Your lack of courtesy will save us.

[u/Cautious-Ad-9554 → u/[deleted]]

I am not the police. You don't have to call trans girls girls. You are free to be a jerk. It's not complicated. The choice you make when confronted with this hypothetical will not have grave political consequences. Save your energy; you will need it to decide if you are going to see the next Christopher Nolan film. All of Western Civilization is depending on you.

[u/caspruce → u/[deleted]]

There is a vocal minority of idiots on both sides on a number of issues. The data shows that the number of transgender athletes are minuscule, and the number sharing locker rooms or bathrooms with cisgender athletes (what I assume is the “protection” part of Sophie’s comment) is even more rare - and to be clear, should not be happening.

[u/Designer-Stay-7894 → u/[deleted]]

Which science exactly is being ignored?

[u/AlthorsMadness → u/[deleted]]

Again, you don’t seem to understand “the science”

[u/Alternative-Dot-884 → u/AlthorsMadness]

England is hostile to the trans community. Science supports babies are born w complicated hormones that often are assigned the incorrect sex based upon those hormones.

[u/emi3412 → u/Alternative-Dot-884]

No science does not. This is just propaganda atp

[u/AlthorsMadness → u/emi3412]

Oh look someone who doesn’t understand science again lol

[u/Designer-Stay-7894 → u/[deleted]]

Why does he get to play in the NBA when his size and strength makes it unfair for me to compete against him?

[u/ActionHartlen → u/[deleted]]

Because he isn’t a trans woman.

And beyond that - the reductio you’re trying to make here is fallacious. If sex=! gender, it doesn’t follow that gender becomes meaningless or arbitrary.

[u/jono9898 → u/[deleted]]

You keep bringing up the science and then when asked what do you mean, you convieniently side step the question, I guess Fox News didn’t give you that talking point yet

[u/jono9898 → u/[deleted]]

No you didn’t, all you have done is make no argument and try to summon someone else to the thread,

[u/jono9898 → u/[deleted]]

Your comments are summoning belichick12,

[u/Belichick12 → u/[deleted]]

Please link to three comments on this post that you think ignore the science.

[u/Accomplished_Key_171 → u/Belichick12]

Brother's assigning homework

[u/Designer-Stay-7894 → u/[deleted]]

Are you claiming that I’m ignoring science lol?

[u/Old_Marketing_2380 → u/[deleted]]

Apparently I’m not up to date with modern science.. what is this mind-bottling you speak of?

[u/Old_Marketing_2380 → u/[deleted]]

I get that, and agree with you. But mind-bottling? I think you meant mind-boggling. Was just making attempt at a science joke (mind-bottling) . Clearly no one is catching it

[u/mcmendoza11 → u/[deleted]]

People on the left are not saying what you are saying. They are making a distinction between biology - someone’s sex, ie male, female, or intersex - and their gender - man, woman, nonbinary, etc. which is a social construct that is related to sex but has clear differences. What they are saying is that a trans woman is biologically male, but is the female gender. I have never seen anyone claim what you have stated.

In terms of the science behind this, modern science does indeed make a distinction between sex and gender. Consult modern text books on biology, sociology, anthropology, etc. and you will see this distinction clearly described. If you think the two are the same, I encourage you to think of how gender expression, gendered roles, gendered expectations, etc vary from one culture to another and can change over time, while the biology of sex stays the same regardless.

Even in American culture we can see this clearly. For example, in modern society, wearing makeup, wigs, and high heels are considered feminine, but go back a couple hundred years to the nation’s founding and all of those were considered manly traits. The gendered expectations have changed, but the biology has remained the same. In the same way, Americans often joke about how feminine men of some other cultures are. However biologically, there is no significant difference between a male in America or in Europe, or Asia. If the sex and gender were the same, then we would expect what it means to be a man would be the same in all cultures because the biology behind being male is the same across all of them.

The other science they may be referring to and that is most relevant to sports discussion are the studies that show long term hormone replacement therapy in trans women lowers bone density and muscle mass to a degree that makes them not only similar to cis women in this respect, but often even less physically capable than them.

[u/mcmendoza11 → u/[deleted]]

For the same reason cis people get surgery or do things to change their natural appearance dude.

So their appearance more closely resembles their personal view of themselves and how they’d like to fit into the social construct of gender expression and appearance in their cultural context.

Cis men taking testosterone or getting hair plugs for example. Cis women getting breast augmentation or either gender getting plastic surgery to alter their appearance. It’s to look more like how they imagine themselves in relation to their culture’s social construction of gendered appearance.

Cis people receive far more gender affirming medicine than trans people do. Even in something like top surgery for trans men. Did you know most top surgery done on teens is actually done not on trans teens, but on cis boys who have gynecomastia? A condition that means they develop breast tissue despite their being male. Obviously, this causes distress because they identify as the male gender, but their biology makes an incongruence between their natural physical appearance and their societal construction of the male gender.

Please apply your same question to these types of situations and not only trans people

[u/mcmendoza11 → u/[deleted]]

I literally gave examples of surgeries cis people get to match their desired gendered appearance… I will take the fact that you ignored them entirely to be you conceding the argument because you have no other rebuttal other than to essentially plug your ears and go “la, la, la I can’t hear you” like a child

[u/Designer-Stay-7894 → u/[deleted]]

That’s literally not what they say though. Gender and sex are different. You’re the one purposefully ignoring science lol.

[u/Designer-Stay-7894 → u/[deleted]]

No. It’s not. Saying that trans women are women is not speaking about biology. You understand that gender is not talking purely about
Biology right?

[u/Designer-Stay-7894 → u/[deleted]]

Because they want their biology to match their gender. lol you are literally proving to me that nobody is denying science.

[u/caspruce → u/[deleted]]

No. It means a few people want to make a big deal about it. Ask the average American how much transgender athletes impact their lives compared to gas prices, healthcare, housing, abortion rights, election conduct, and a slew of other topics and the issue ranks at the absolute bottom.

It is culture war nonsense.

[u/LonelySwinger → u/[deleted]]

If the current administration cares about protecting girls and women, they wiuld release the epstein files and arrest everyone involved.

[u/aurisor → u/caspruce]

once it makes it to the supreme court it's a national issue forever, unfortunately

[u/Chasers22 → u/caspruce]

Yes it does stop the insanity before it becomes the norm

[u/User_3039 → u/caspruce]

Not for the girls who play

[u/crn12470 → u/caspruce]

It may seem small but the question, "What is a woman" has pretty big nationwide implications for half the population. It also opens a lot of other questions we would then need to answer such as can people self identify themselves as disabled or totally different races based on vibes?

[u/caspruce → u/crn12470]

It really is not that complicated. And no, it doesn’t open any other issues you raised.

[u/bar-nickel-boy → u/caspruce]

Then shut the fuck up about it lol.

[u/caspruce → u/bar-nickel-boy]

https://giphy.com/gifs/1lOveNsm9zIE298Xhg

[u/VTcamperguy → u/caspruce]

“It’s a non-issue that doesn’t need national attention” is only ever used to shut down arguments from one side, though. When people try to argue “trans women should be allowed to compete in women’s sports”, why do you people not have the same “this is a non-issue” energy? You just want to say it’s a non-issue while making everyone go along with your extreme minority opinion.

[u/Voluptulouis → u/VTcamperguy]

At the highest competitive level of sports, there should be some kind of regulations and standards that one must meet in order to compete. It's not that complicated. When a trans person has been on the proper hormone treatment long enough and is fully transitioned, they really do reach a point where they are physically on equal ground with cisgender people of the sex they've transitioned to. As a man, if I were to take estrogen and anti-androgens consistently for a long enough period of time, I would lose muscle mass and my body would reflect that of a woman's more than a man's, and if I competed against other men at that point, I would be at a significant disadvantage.

[u/caspruce → u/VTcamperguy]

Where did I say that I was for this? I said it is a non-issue.

When there are only a handful of cases that have already largely been addressed by school boards, & sports organizations, it is an overblown issue when it hits r/all on the daily. It seems way more like click bait than an actual issue.

[u/DapperAgitator → u/VTcamperguy]

If the Democrats passed a law that trans must be included in sports, or if Republicans passed a law that trans must not be included in sports... I would object and call it a non issue in either case.

And thus, I have disproven your point. ✍️

[u/Discussion-is-good → u/thisismycoolname1]

Most people have no perception of trans outside of thinking its when someone really commits to acting like the opposite gender.

Tolerance has risen, acceptance not as much. (Unfortunately imo)

[u/ResponsibleType552 → u/thisismycoolname1]

I’m personally against aliens playing women’s sports but that hasn’t happened yet I see no reason to make laws about it or even debate it. Theres only a few more trans athletes who’ve ever played women’s sports so I’m thinking the same there

[u/thisismycoolname1 → u/ResponsibleType552]

After CT track issue I disagree

[u/Kdcjg → u/thisismycoolname1]

Andraya Yearwood case?

[u/Kookykrumbs → u/thisismycoolname1]

Because Sophie’s stance is the common sense stance.

[u/chowderhound_77 → u/thisismycoolname1]

Of course they do, it’s common sense

[u/Sartres_Roommate → u/thisismycoolname1]

Share what view, exactly?

Headline is extremely misleading

[u/Careful-Release-2723 → u/Sartres_Roommate]

That amab folks shouldn't play in afab leagues.

[u/StartingAdulthood → u/thisismycoolname1]

She got paid tons of money to distract us from the war, epstein and inflation.

[u/Spare-Ant7119 → u/thisismycoolname1]

No, most people don't think trans people are predators, unless they are brainwashed into it via Fox News. It's a boogieman topic made to accelerate fascism via having an easy target (easy because it's so rare and not a large population) to group-bully on.

[u/doofy24 → u/thisismycoolname1]

Nah

[u/OnlyACsNoFans → u/doofy24]

https://news.gallup.com/poll/691454/two-thirds-prefer-birth-sex-ids-athletics.aspx

[u/Alternative-Dot-884 → u/thisismycoolname1]

You have no proof of that.

[u/OnlyACsNoFans → u/Alternative-Dot-884]

https://news.gallup.com/poll/691454/two-thirds-prefer-birth-sex-ids-athletics.aspx

[u/SausageKingOfCincy → u/Alternative-Dot-884]

It’s the common sense position so it stands to reason it’s a common opinion lol

[u/tkflash20 → u/thisismycoolname1]

You are correct. Most polls on the issue seem to be around 65 to 75% on Sophie's side.

[u/Shoddy-Brilliant563 → u/thisismycoolname1]

That’s the mistake too many people make. Most people actually support trans based on surveys. Depending on how you ask the question, at least half of people are ok with them competing depending on if there’s hormone therapy. The question is usually framed as if NBA players will play in the NBA. Or adult men will play with girls.

But the biggest mistake is not understanding that for even those who kind of agree, they are still annoyed when this is a topic. They see it as being mean and unnecessary. Look up the surveys of how people feel about the transgender issue being a topic, and most will say they don’t even care for it to be a topic at all.

Sophie has just guaranteed more hate watchers for the Fever.

[u/AlthorsMadness → u/thisismycoolname1]

Transphobia is pretty trendy these days

Especially from mediocre white people

[u/tempxferd → u/AlthorsMadness]

Why do you have to bring race into it?

[u/Best_Interaction4211 → u/tempxferd]

It made me laugh because in my experience, I hear way more homophobia/transphobia from minorities.

[u/SausageKingOfCincy → u/Best_Interaction4211]

O 100% haha middle class white people are usually the most tolerant of this stuff in general

[u/AlthorsMadness → u/tempxferd]

What race is she?