Sophie Cunningham stirred intense controversy last month by speaking out against the inclusion of trans athletes in women’s sports.
The Indiana Fever guard has now received support from U.S. Rep Nancy Mace, who has framed the backlash against the WNBA star as an unfair attack against women.
U.S. Congresswoman Throws Support Behind Sophie Cunningham Amid Trans-Athlete Controversy
Ever since Cunningham weighed in on the trans-athlete debate in an interview with ESPN, supporters on both sides of the issue have spoken out and even held protests outside of arenas ahead of Fever games. The controversy started after Cunningham, one of the league’s most prominent players, claimed that trans athletes should not be allowed to compete in women’s sports.
“I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men,” Cunningham said.
In the wake of her comments, Cunningham received plenty of support from politicians and right-wing activists. However, she has also faced criticism from some WNBA fans.
Mace, a Republican congresswoman from South Carolina, lamented the backlash Cunningham and other activists received for simply speaking up about “protecting women.”
“How did we get to a place where protecting women in their own sports is considered hateful?” Rep. Mace wrote on X on Tuesday. In a follow-up post, she added, “And racist,” alluding to a polarizing column from The Guardian that described Cunningham as “anti-Black.”
How did we get to a place where protecting women in their own sports is considered hateful?
— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) August 4, 2026
Cunningham has also received support from prominent right-wing activist Riley Gaines and XX-XY Athletics founder Jennifer Sey. Both former athletes were at Target Center on Sunday to cheer for Cunningham as the Fever faced the Minnesota Lynx.
However, some WNBA coaches have made their opposition known to Cunningham’s stance. Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve advocated for the inclusion of trans athletes in women’s sports and wore a “Trans Kids Belong” shirt during Sunday’s game against the Fever.
Fever head coach Stephanie White recently stated, “I don’t ever believe exclusion is an answer.”
Meanwhile, Cunningham’s Fever teammate Caitlin Clark chose a neutral stance when asked about the issue and declined to delve into it.
“I think, for us, it’s not really a discussion we really have in our locker room. I think it’s for leagues and the governing bodies to work with their athletes to find solutions, but our focus is on basketball,” Clark said after Sunday’s game against the Lynx.
The protests are set to continue in the WNBA this week, with Sey hinting that they will continue to support Cunningham at the Fever’s upcoming games.
The Fever will next be in action on Thursday as they take on the Las Vegas Aces in Indiana, and this controversy doesn’t seem like it’s going away anytime soon.
