U.S. sports fans are taking clear sides in the Megan Rapinoe vs. Sophie Cunningham debate this weekend.
Cunningham, who stars for the Indiana Fever, told ESPN that she believes it's "common sense" to keep transgender athletes out of women's sports. Cunningham said that she wants to “protect young girls in the locker room” and that “they shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”
“I said what I said. I think it’s kind of common sense,” Cunningham told reporters. “And I think I’ll always believe in that. I think it’s really important to protect children, and that’s little girls who are also involved in that category. I stand on what I said.”
Rapinoe, who has been supportive of transgender athletes, is not happy with the WNBA star right now.
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Rapinoe said that Cunningham taking a photo with Riley Gaines told her everything that she needed to know.
"I don't know Sophie, so I can only project what I see about her beliefs based on her action. Seeing a picture of her with Riley Gaines after the [Fever's game against the Minnesota Lynx] told me everything I need to know about what's happening. Riley Gaines has made it her life's mission to exclude trans people from public life," Cunningham said.
"She's directly tied to the Heritage Foundation, the authors of Project 2025 and, now, 2026, who have now published a report that suggests that they want to repeal Title IX. The very piece of legislation that allowed athletes like Sophie and myself to compete in sports. Sophie has claimed both to love trans people and support Title IX, and this is where the accountability with having a major platform is extremely important."
U.S. sports fans are taking sides
"One of these women are beloved. The other is despised. Can you guess who is who???" one wrote.
"Team Gaines-Cunningham," one fan added.
"I've liked Rapinoe, but she's wrong here," one shared.
"Woman nobody likes to woman that’s widely liked," one fan added.
"Everything she needs to know about women who don’t want other women to have to beat men at sports," one fan added.
Whose side are you on?
