Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham has made headlines this week as she spoke out against transgender women in women’s sports. While her comments have been met with a lot of criticism, she has received some support from a high-profile author who has similarly criticized transgender people.
With all the discourse swirling surrounding Cunningham’s statement, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has come to Cunningham’s support.
Cunningham Speaks Out Against Trans Athletes
In an ESPN article last week, Cunningham was asked about her political beliefs and the “MAGA Barbie” nickname she has recently been given. While Cunningham says that label is a projection, given that she is a white girl from Missouri, she did go on to speak out on how to “protect women’s sports.”
“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that,’” she told ESPN. “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.”
Later in the week, Cunningham was given the opportunity to address the comments, ahead of a game against the Connecticut Sun. During that interview, Cunningham doubled down on her statement.
“I said what I said. I think it’s kind of common sense,” Cunningham said via The Athletic. “And I think I’ll always believe in that. I think it’s really important to protect children, and that’s little girls who are also involved in that category. I stand on what I said.”
Cunningham was asked if she thought her comments could be viewed as derogatory toward trans athletes. She responded, saying that she does not “dislike anyone” and there is “room to love everyone.” However, she wasn’t backing down from her opinion.
“But I’m also there to love biological women, and I think that there are rights that need to be protected,” Cunningham continued. “And, like I said, I’m gonna stand true to that. I’ll never falter in my beliefs in that. But I have never once stated that I hated the trans community.”
J.K. Rowling Supports Sophie Cunningham
While not everyone has been pleased with Cunningham’s political stand, Rowling did come to her support with a post on X.
The Harry Potter author, who has a history of speaking out against transgender rights, praised Cunningham for “standing up for women and girls everywhere.”
“Caution didn’t win women the vote, or equal pay, or fair sport, or the right to single-sex spaces. Sophie Cunningham is standing up for women and girls everywhere and it’s glorious,” Rowling wrote in a post on X.
Cunningham may have earned herself some critics, but it’s clear that she earned herself some new fans, as well.
