WNBA star Caitlin Clark does not want to get involved with the controversy surrounding Sophie Cunningham’s opposition to trans women competing in women’s sports.
When asked about her Indiana Fever teammate’s comments about trans athletes, Clark made it clear that she’s not here to take sides. “I think for us, it’s not really a discussion we have in our locker room,” she said during an interview on Sunday (August 2). “I think it’s for leagues and the governing bodies to work with their athletes to find solutions, but our focus is on basketball.”
After being pressed further, Clark shut the reporter down. “I just answered for you,” she said curtly.
Cunningham, who has publicly shared her conservative beliefs, recently told ESPN that she “never” said she hates the trans community, but doubled down on her belief that trans women should not compete in women’s sports. “I think that I am here to extend love, but I also think with that love is truth, being honest,” she said. “I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”
The following day, she told reporters that she believes it’s “kind of common sense” and she’ll “always believe” trans women don’t have a place in sports. It’s worth nothing not a single trans woman has ever played in the WNBA, and there’s only been one openly transgender woman, weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, in the entire history of the Olympic Games.
Her comments have been met with a wide array of responses in the league, with Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton recently adding to the controversy after she confronted two fans for holding up signs supporting Cunningham’s comments while wearing t-shirts from the anti-trans brand, XX-XY Athletics. Cunningham responded to the moment by calling Keaton “embarrassing” and congratulating the two fans for “standing up for what they believe.” Keaton was suspended for multiple games as a result of the moment.
When asked about Cunningham’s comments, Fever coach Stephanie White appeared to distance herself from her. “"I wouldn't say I'm educated enough from a scientific standpoint, but I don't ever believe that exclusion is an answer," White said. "I just don't. I do think, when we think about various levels of sport, various governing bodies of sport and things that go into that, as I said, I'm not educated enough at the different levels. I know growing up that I played with the boys all the time. There weren't girls sports back then."
Portland Fire coach Alex Sarama also said the team supports the trans community, while Golden State Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase also said that she supports “inclusivity” in sports. “I’m all about women, little girls deserving to play, and that includes trans women. So I’m all about inclusivity,” she said, per Jackson Thompson of Fox.
