The Indiana Fever's Sophie Cunningham's latest comments on trans athletes' participation in women's sports have turned heads. While she is facing backlash, Stephen A. Smith has hailed the WNBA star for her position.

On Tuesday, July 21, Cunningham revealed her stance in an interview with ESPN. She said that she was in support of protecting "young girls in the locker room" and that she didn't want women competing against "biological men" in sports.

"I can't applaud her enough," Smith said on his The Stephen Smith Show on X on Thursday, July 24. "This notion that you're hating on the trans community because you are not a proponent of them participating in female sports is utterly ridiculous."

According to Smith, Cunningham said the right thing without "hate" toward the trans community. He added that the Fever star had rightfully raised issues of "fairness" to girls who faced biological men in competition.

"If we're going to act like transitioning from male to female doesn't involve an advantage for that trans athlete. I have nothing to say to you. You're not exercising common sense," Smith added on his The Stephen Smith Show on X.

Smith argued that Cunningham's willingness to speak publicly is precisely why her comments have generated such strong reactions, saying she voiced concerns that many people have been reluctant to express openly.

Thomas was the first trans athlete to win the NCAA Division I national championship in swimming. She first participated on the University of Pennsylvania men's swimming team.

In her senior year, Thomas participated on the women's team after undergoing hormone replacement therapy.

Not everyone in women's basketball shares Smith's or Cunningham's view, with several prominent figures continuing to advocate for the inclusion of transgender athletes in women's sports.

Cheryl Reeve's statement highlights flaws in banning trans athletes

The Minnesota Lynx's head coach has long been a proponent of inclusion of trans athletes in women's sports.

On Friday, July 17, Reeve told reporters that trans participation was never a problem. She also added that it was fabricated for political points.

"The issues they are trying to tackle are really not issues," Reeve told reporters, as reported by Andrew Dukowitz's X handle. "The number of transgender athletes they are now making laws for and creating a problem to get elected."

Reeve was perhaps addressing the NCAA ban on trans athletes from participating in women's sports.

"What I’m hopeful for is that people…understand that’s not actually a problem… exclusion is never the answer, separate isn’t equal, and trans lives matter," she added.

Reeve’s words only help fuel an increasingly divided national conversation as many organizations and lawmakers struggle with what to do regarding the inclusion of transgender athletes in women's sports.

What is your opinion about the issue of transgender athletes in women’s sports? Let us know in the comments section.

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Written by

Nandjee Ranjan

Edited by

Utsav Gupta