RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Here was the scene outside the United Center on Saturday: On one side of Madison Street, a group had gathered to “Support Sophie,” with a cardboard cutout of Fever guard Sophie Cunningham and T-shirts bearing XX and XY chromosomes.
A few yards away, counterprotesters waved rainbow and transgender flags and wore shirts reading “Protect Trans Kids.”
Why outside a Fever- Sky game?
Cunningham has become a flashpoint in the debate over transgender participation in women’s sports. In an ESPN profile, she said she had received criticism for “hating trans,” which she denied.
“I think that I am here to extend love,” Cunningham said. “But I also think 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.”
Since the All-Star break, groups advocating to exclude transgender women from women’s sports have rallied outside Fever road games.
Amy Sousa , who helped organize the first rally in Seattle, said she hadn’t ever watched the WNBA but now wants to support Cunningham.
“This whole thing has taken off,” she said. ”We’re here to be completely pro women, pro girl. Our basic stance is that women and girls sports need to be designated, as science says, on the basis of sex.”
Across Madison, others came specifically to support transgender athletes.
“Youth sports saved my life,” said one long-time Sky fan, who asked not to be named. “It’s hard enough feeling like a kid who feels different than everyone else. Not having a space in sports would have been so harmful to me.
“Which young girls is Cunningham trying to protect, and from who? I think that young girls in sports need protection from a lot of other things. There are so many trans kids who need to be lifted up and not torn down.”
They noted cyberbullying and ACL injuries as two things young girls actually need protection from.
WNBPA weighs in
The players union addressed the debate Friday, saying: “Hate, abuse, and demonization of any person or group of people, including transgender people, only fuel fear, division, and harm. We will continue to have hard conversations. But we will not be used as political pawns.”
WNBPA secretary Elizabeth Williams told the Sun-Times that especially when it comes to the conversation around trans athletes, people try to use WNBA players to advance their agendas.
“We just want to make sure that we’re recentering the focus back on protecting Title IX,” Williams said. “Protecting girls in sport. That’s always been our priority.”
Fouling around
Inside the arena, Sky guard DiJonai Carrington was ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul on Cunningham, and Natasha Cloud received a technical in the fourth quarter.
Caitlin Clark was assessed a technical in the third quarter that would have triggered a one-game suspension. The WNBA rescinded it after the game.
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