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USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham has sparked widespread debate over the past several weeks after speaking out against transgender women competing in women’s sports and repeatedly standing by those remarks. Now, the Vice President of the United States is sharing his thoughts on the controversy.
In a recent interview, Vice President JD Vance addressed Cunningham’s stance on transgender athletes for the first time, applauding her “courage” and suggesting that she is helping “save America.”
Cunningham’s Comments
During an interview for an ESPN profile, Cunningham was asked about her political views, especially with regard to the “MAGA Barbie” nickname that has followed her in recent months. In her response, the Indiana Fever guard explained her views on transgender athletes competing in 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.”
Cunningham stood by those comments when asked, calling them “common sense.”
“I said what I said. I think it’s kind of common sense,” Cunningham said earlier this week. “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 later doubled down on the topic once again in a post on X while responding to a recent incident involving two teenage girls who said they were verbally confronted by a Seattle Storm co-owner, who was later suspended.
“I 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,” Cunningham wrote in a post on X. “Bravo to those girls for standing up for what they believe. You’ll be hearing from me soon yay for gifts. Truly embarrassing of the co-owner.”
Vance Says ‘Keep Speaking Your Mind’
During an interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox News on Wednesday, Vance discussed Cunningham’s remarks and praised her for showing “courage.”
“Look, sometimes when you’re courageous in this country, some of the worst people in the world will try to attack you. What I would tell Sophie and anybody is to keep speaking your mind. You actually are inspiring a dozen people for every person that criticizes you,” Vance told Ingraham.
“We cannot take our country back; we cannot save the United States of America unless you have people of courage who are speaking their mind,” Vance added.
Vance went on to say that Cunningham’s willingness to speak publicly could encourage others to do the same.
“The thing about courage is it’s contagious. When you see one person – even if they have the mob come after them – one person speak their mind in a courageous and honest way, it inspires a lot of people to do the same. So I would tell Sophie to keep going,” Vance said.
Vance Sparks Outrage
Vance’s comments quickly made the rounds on social media, and the Vice President was quickly blasted for a wide variety of reasons, with some pointing out that only a small percentage of transgender athletes exist and others calling out the apparent hypocrisy after Republicans criticized Colin Kaepernick for taking a political stand.
“I can’t believe this issue occupies their minds this much,” one person wrote in a post on X.
“Laser-focused on the problem of trans-athletes in professional sports, in which there are exactly zero of,” someone else added.
“Exactly the same thing they said about Colin Kaepernick! Very consistent! No hypocrisy at all!” someone else pointed out.
“This is the dumbest thing republicans have done to date. There are literally no transgender [people] in professional sports. It’s red meat for the stupid base while they continue to gut Medicare, Medicaid, healthcare, Trump slurring words and falling asleep and stealing,” a commenter added.
“Fake outrage. NCAA level: Out of over 510,000 athletes, leadership notes fewer than 10 known transgender student-athletes. Global/Olympic level: Openly transgender athletes make up roughly 0.001% or less of elite international rosters,” someone else wrote.
“‘Worst people in the world try to’ silence you, JD says, defending a player who got booed over trans athletes in women’s sports. Meanwhile his own administration deports people with valid work permits and pardons cop-beaters. Courage is selective when it’s this convenient,” another commented.
“Framing one side of a genuinely contested policy debate as ‘courage’ while everyone on the other side is implicitly cast as afraid to speak up is doing a lot of rhetorical work before anyone’s even discussed the actual argument,” someone else added.
President Donald Trump has not commented on the situation himself, but the White House has said that Trump “feels strongly” about the issue.
The post ‘Dumbest thing republicans have done’: JD Vance sparks outrage with Sophie Cunningham comments appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.
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