With the WNBA season about to take a break for this year's All-Star Weekend, the White House has voiced its support of Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham.
Earlier this week, ESPN's Hallie Grossman released a feature on Cunningham and her unapologetic persona. While the story mostly focused on her WNBA career, there were moments where she addressed narratives about her online. Over the past year or so, she's been referred to as a "MAGA Barbie." She's also been accused of supporting President Donald Trump and the Republican Party.
Cunningham cleared the air by saying she's "very much in the middle" when it comes to politics. She also took a firm stance on transgender athletes competing in women’s sports.
"I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans," Cunningham told ESPN. "And I’m like, ‘I never once said that.’ I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with 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."
© Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images.
Cunningham's comments generated a ton of outrage online, make no mistake about it.
On the flip side, Cunningham received a vote of confidence from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday.
"I don't believe he (President Trump) has reached out to her. I know he is following the story. As you know, this is something the president feels strongly about as well, and the American people do, too: that men should not be playing in women's sports," Leavitt said. "It's completely ludicrous that anyone could support that. It's even more ludicrous you have Sophie Cunningham, a female athlete herself, very accomplished in her own right, coming forth and speaking that truth that men shouldn't play in women's sports — we want to protect women and girls — and the backlash she is receiving from Democrats and left-wing fingers across the country is astonishing. They are clearly very out of touch with the American public on this issue."
Sophie isn't backing down one bit.
Prior to the Fever's game against the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday night, Cunningham was asked about her comments regarding transgender athletes.
“I said what I said. I think it’s kind of common sense…” Cunningham replied. “I think it’s really important to protect children… I don’t dislike anyone. … I’m there to love, but I’m also there to love biological women.”
Suffice to say, Cunningham isn't going to change up her stance.
