Sophie Cunningham gets support from GOP senator after backlash over transgender sports comments

Indiana Fever defender Sophie Cunningham received enactment Friday from Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., aft the WNBA subordinate doubled down this week connected her comments that it is "common sense" to support biologic males retired of women's sports.

In a connection released Friday, Graham thanked Cunningham for speaking publically connected the issue.

"I privation to convey Sophie Cunningham for speaking retired and marque it wide that I could not hold more," Graham said.

WHITE HOUSE DEFENDS WNBA STAR SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM AFTER SHE SPEAKS OUT IN SUPPORT OF PROTECTING WOMEN'S SPORTS

Sophie Cunningham speaks to members of the media astatine Player 15 HQ successful Phoenix connected Sept. 26, 2024. (Diannie Chavez/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

"What she said took a batch of guts. It's bittersweet but existent that successful today's world, and peculiarly connected this issue, communal consciousness is not common."

Graham, who described herself arsenic a "volleyball mom," said she knows "how unsafe it is to person boys playing successful girls' sports" aft years of traveling with her daughter's squad passim South Carolina and the Southeast.

She besides referenced a North Carolina precocious schoolhouse volleyball subordinate who was earnestly injured aft being struck by a deed from a transgender athlete.

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Sen. Darline Graham Nordone, R-S.C., participates successful a ceremonial swearing-in successful the Old Senate Chamber astatine the U.S. Capitol connected July 14 successful Washington, DC. (Finn Gomez/Getty Images)

"As a mother, convey you to Miss Cunningham for speaking out," Graham said. "I genuinely admit you adding your dependable to this important debate. Our daughters volition beryllium the ones who payment from your words and voice."

Cunningham reiterated her presumption Wednesday earlier the Fever's 123-88 triumph implicit the Connecticut Sun aft archetypal making the remarks successful an ESPN illustration earlier this week.

"I said what I said. I deliberation it's benignant of communal sense," Cunningham told reporters. "And I deliberation I'll ever judge successful that. I deliberation it's truly important to support children, and that's small girls who are besides progressive successful that category. I basal connected what I said."

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Indiana Fever defender Sophie Cunningham plays successful the 2nd fractional against the Los Angeles Sparks astatine Gainbridge Fieldhouse successful Indianapolis, Indiana, connected June 27, 2026. (Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)

Cunningham besides said she believes protecting women's sports is accordant with the intent of Title IX and maintained that her comments were not directed against transgender people.

"But I'm besides determination to emotion biologic women, and I deliberation that determination are rights that request to beryllium protected," Cunningham said. "And, similar I said, I'm gonna basal existent to that. I'll ne'er falter successful my beliefs successful that. But I person ne'er erstwhile stated that I hated the trans community."

The Indiana Fever aboriginal released a connection saying Cunningham's views are her own.

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"Our players are thoughtful adults with their ain perspectives and voices, and those views are their own," the squad said. "We are committed to welcoming fans from each inheritance and treating everyone with respect, and that's what guides america arsenic an organization."

The statement implicit transgender athletes successful girls' and women's sports has go a large contented successful caller years. President Donald Trump signed an enforcement bid successful 2025 aimed astatine barring transgender athletes from competing successful girls' and women's sports, portion the Supreme Court precocious allowed authorities laws restricting transgender athletes' information to stay successful effect arsenic ineligible challenges continue.