08/02/26 02:01:00
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08/02 13:59 CDT Rallies surround Fever-Lynx game after Sophie Cunningham's
stance on transgender athletes
Rallies surround Fever-Lynx game after Sophie Cunningham's stance on
transgender athletes
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) --- A crowd of critics and supporters of Indiana guard Sophie
Cunningham's stance on transgender participation in women's sports gathered
around and inside Target Center on Sunday as the Fever faced the Lynx in
Minnesota.
Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve wore a light blue shirt under her jacket that said,
"Trans kids belong" as she coached on the bench. There were fans in the stands
wearing T-shirts that read, "Trans kids belong in sports."
It's the third straight Fever game that drew a rally after Cunningham recently
voiced support for barring transgender girls and women from girls' and women's
sports in an ESPN article published last week.
Before the game, Cunningham and Reeve held a conversation at midcourt.
Cunningham appeared to be booed by the crowd on her first touch of the game.
Outside the arena, dozens of fans gathered near the entrance. A person using a
loud speaker repeated over and over, "Protect trans women." There were signs
held up that read, "Love is truth" and "Thank you Sophie."
Cunningham said Friday in Portland that she wasn't concerned about rallies
against transgender participation in women's sports becoming a distraction for
the Fever.
"I think everyone who knows me personally, they know that I'm full of love. I'm
bubbly. I love the people around me," Cunningham said Friday. "I love
basketball. I love inspiring the next generation and doing that in a positive
light. And so that doesn't even cross my mind. Doesn't cross my teammates'
minds."
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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
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