Sophie Cunningham has continued to face criticism after making controversial comments about who should not be allowed to play in the WNBA, referring to transgender women.
The comments quickly drew backlash from the community, with several WNBA fans labeling Cunningham transphobic. The discussion also moved beyond basketball, opening up a broader national debate.
Sophie Cunningham’s past draws new criticism
A resurfaced video is bringing her athletic past into the conversation
The video shows Cunningham playing football on a men’s team, leading fans to call her a hypocrite. Cunningham served as a placekicker for the boys’ varsity football team at Rock Bridge High School in Columbia, Missouri.
Sophie Cunningham stepped in as an injury replacement kicker during her senior year after the team’s regular starting kicker tore his ACL
She stepped in as an injury replacement kicker during her senior year after the team’s regular starting kicker tore his ACL. Cunningham famously made a 45-yard field goal while dealing with a stress fracture in her foot, which required her to wear a walking boot during a related halftime contest.
During her brief stint filling in on special teams, Cunningham went 2-for-4 on field goal attempts.
The resurfaced footage has reignited the debate around her comments
This is where some fans have drawn comparisons between Cunningham’s past and her current position. They point to her time on a boys’ football team while now arguing that transgender women should face restrictions based solely on sex in women’s sports.
For those critics, the difference between the two situations has fueled the hypocrisy accusations surrounding her comments. The resurfaced video has now become another point of discussion as the backlash surrounding Cunningham’s comments continues to spread across social media.