Conversations around transgender athletes in women’s sports have been running through the WNBA ever since Sophie Cunningham’s profile published by ESPN sparked the debate on July 21. It has now been more than a week since then, and the backlash, reactions, and actions that have followed have kept the topic firmly alive and as polarising as ever.
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During the Indiana Fever’s media availability ahead of their game against the Portland Fire, head coach Stephanie White was also pressed on the issue. The Fever head coach, however, declined to take a definitive position.
“Yeah, I mean, I don’t know that I would say that I’m educated enough from a scientific standpoint,” White said, responding to the question. “I don’t ever believe that exclusion is an answer.”
In the video shared by Fox News journalist Jackson Thompson on X, the reporter even pressed White again by rephrasing the question. However, the Fever head coach maintained a similar response, saying she was not educated enough to provide a definitive answer. She nevertheless reiterated that she does not believe exclusion is the answer.
White did acknowledge the frustration surrounding the conversation, explaining that she would much rather have discussions centered solely on basketball and her team. At the same time, she noted that she is well aware that conversations like these are part of the league’s growth. And that they are something that must be managed alongside everything happening on the court.
Portland Fire head coach Alex Sarama also had a similar experience during his own media availability ahead of the same game. Sarama’s response, however, went no further than expressing his general support for inclusivity.
“Yeah, I mean, my focus as a basketball coach, to be completely honest, I don’t think I’ve ever had to think about that,” he said. “And I’m completely supportive of people from all communities or walks of life. So that’s my stance completely; I’m supportive of everyone at the ball and the community.”
This exchange is particularly noteworthy given Sophie Cunningham’s stance and the WNBA-wide conversation it has sparked.
Ahead of the Fever-Fire game, a support rally for Cunningham was organized. Specifically, women’s sports advocacy groups arranged a demonstration to stand in solidarity with the Fever guard directly outside the Moda Center in Portland, preceding the matchup.
This is not the first time such a rally has taken place in the past week. A similar demonstration also occurred ahead of the Fever’s game against the Seattle Storm on Tuesday, part of an emerging pattern of organized public support for Cunningham’s position that has been accompanying Indiana on the road.
Neither Sophie Cunningham nor the Indiana Fever have, however, proclaimed any affiliation with any of these demonstrations. Following the Seattle Storm game, the Indiana Fever even issued an official statement to make that position unambiguous.