Indiana Fever reserve guard Sophie Cunningham sparked a nationwide controversy with her comments in a July 21 ESPN profile on the role of transgender women partcipating in women’s sports.
“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that,’” she said in the feature. “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.”
The comments led to a nationwide debate, rallies and counterrallies, and most recently, a courtside altercation. For her part, Cunnigham is now trying to keep the focus on basketball.
“I think I said what I said. It’s nothing new; it’s happened every game,” Cunningham said of the rallies before Saturday night’s game. “I’ve kind of already stated how I feel about all of that. I’m focused on New York tonight.”
Focused on basketball as she may be, Cunningham just can’t seem to help but find herself, purposefully or not, aligned with common right-wing rhetoric. Now, she is facing backlash for a TikTok she posted in which she distances herself from listening to rap music like most basketball players.
“Embarassing Stuff”Fans on social media did not hold back in their criticism of the TikTok.
“Imagine doing this when you’re 30? Embarrassing stuff,” one fan posted on X.
“I don’t even wanna be rude but this woman is actually revolting,” someone else added.
“Micro-aggression. No one ever asked her this. We know why she’s targeting rap music specifically. Grift on Sophie,” another person added.
Cunningham is having a career-year from the three-point line, but her play has dimished noticably since the profile was published. If she can’t return to her stellar form from earlier in the season, she may find it difficult to find another job in the WNBA when her contract is up after this season.
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