After allegedly taking two transphobes to task, one of the co-owners of the Seattle Storm has been fined and suspended from attending the WNBA team\u2019s next five home games. <\/p>\n
On Tuesday, anti-trans protestors staged a rally both inside and outside of the Climate Pledge Arena in support of Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who recently made anti-trans comments<\/a> in an ESPN profile, referring to trans women as \u201cbiological men\u201d and claiming that she wanted to \u201cprotect young girls in a locker room.\u201d Though the rally outside was sparsely attended \u2014 reportedly only drawing a few dozen people at most<\/a> \u2014 the protest continued inside the arena during the Storm\u2019s game against the Fever, with two teenage courtside attendees holding a sign that said \u201cThank you Sophie for speaking up for girls,\u201d and wearing T-shirts advertising the anti-trans organization XX-XY Athletics. <\/p>\n It\u2019s worth noting that, per right-wing influencer Brandi Kruse, who was one of the organizers of the rally, the girls\u2019 seats were $1,300 a piece, and paid for by \u201ca generous donor\u201d<\/a> \u2014 a potential astroturfing red flag. (See also: the recent failed attempt to get an anti-trans sports referendum on the ballot in Maine, which was reportedly bankrolled<\/a> by GOP megadonor Richard Uihlein, who lives in Illinois.) Astroturfing as a practice refers to the use of external funding and support to simulate the appearance of a grassroots movement.<\/p>\n In a video<\/a> with the courtside protestors posted by Kruse, the girls claimed that a woman yelled at them for holding up the signs and called them \u201cf**king insane.\u201d Kruse identified the woman who allegedly yelled at them as Celeste Keaton; according to The Sporting News<\/a>, she is the wife of fellow Storm co-owner Lisa Brummel. Per The Seattle Times<\/a>, the WNBA has fined Keaton an undisclosed amount and suspended her from attending the team\u2019s next five home games.<\/p>\n In a statement to the Seattle Times and other media outlets, Storm majority owner Ginny Gilder said, \u201cWe are aware one of our co-owners made comments to two fans in attendance at last night\u2019s game. We apologize that this happened. Everyone who attends a Storm game deserves to feel welcome, and we remain committed to creating an inclusive environment where every fan is treated with respect.\u201d<\/p>\n Cunningham also took to social media to address the controversy, posting to X, \u201cI truly believe there is a safe space and love for EVERYBODY. Biological girls, biological boys, trans women, and trans men. Everyone is welcome at my table! You can disagree and still be kind.\u201d She additionally lauded the two teenagers \u201cfor standing up for what they believe,\u201d and said, \u201cYou\u2019ll be hearing from me soon.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cTruly embarrassing of the co-owner,\u201d Cunningham concluded. \u201cUnfortunately shows the type of leader she is.\u201d<\/p>\n (If any of this is sounding familiar to you, see also: Riley Gaines<\/a>, the former college swimmer who became a mouthpiece for anti-trans talking points.)<\/p>\n Cunningham, who\u2019s been nicknamed \u201cMAGA Barbie\u201d by some, specifically said<\/a> in her recent ESPN profile that she wants \u201cto protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men,\u201d even though there\u2019s no evidence<\/a> that trans girls\u2019 participation in sports harm cisgender girls. On the contrary, many, including soccer star Megan Rapinoe, have observed that anti-trans sporting policies cause harm to cis girls<\/a> as well. <\/p>\n Though the Storm has apologized for Keaton\u2019s conduct, neither the team nor the WNBA have publicly commented on Cunningham\u2019s statements. If the league remains silent, it\u2019s easy to see a near future where the anti-trans right makes WNBA games \u2014 which have always been sites of gathering<\/a> for queer women \u2014 into yet another battleground of the culture wars. (Which would, of course, mark the first time conservatives have ever \u201ccared\u201d about women\u2019s sports.) With another rally reportedly planned<\/a> for the July 31 Fever game against the Portland Thorn, the WNBA will have more decisions to make soon about how to handle anti-trans political protests in and around its games.<\/p>\n