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Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton has been officially suspended and fined by the WNBA, following her interaction with two teenage fans who were supporting Sophie Cunningham — particularly the Fever guard’s stance on banning transgender athletes from women’s sports.
According to The Athletic, Keaton approached two teens prior to Tuesday night’s game against the Indiana Fever, who beat the Seattle Storm that evening. The fans — who were both wearing shirts with XX and XY chromosomes on them — were backing Cunningham, who has been vocal about IL26-638, a statewide ballad initiative in Washington schools that would ban transgender students from participating in girls’ athletics. Keaton allegedly cursed out the teens and called them “freaking insane.”
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“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans,” Cunningham said in a recent ESPN profile. “And I’m like, ‘I never once said that.’ 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.” She doubled down on this in an Instagram post, with the caption “I said what I said.”
After podcast host Brandi Kruse posted a video of Keaton’s exchange, the Storm issued an apology. “We are aware one of our co-owners made comments to two fans in attendance at last night’s game,” majority owner Ginny Gilder said in a statement. “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.” Then, as The Athletic reports, WNBA fined and suspended Keaton from the next five home games.
“Truly embarrassing of the co-owner,” Cunningham wrote on X. “Unfortunately shows the type of leader she is.”
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According to The Athletic, Keaton approached two teens prior to Tuesday night’s game against the Indiana Fever, who beat the Seattle Storm that evening. The fans — who were both wearing shirts with XX and XY chromosomes on them — were backing Cunningham, who has been vocal about IL26-638, a statewide ballad initiative in Washington schools that would ban transgender students from participating in girls’ athletics. Keaton allegedly cursed out the teens and called them “freaking insane.”
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“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans,” Cunningham said in a recent ESPN profile. “And I’m like, ‘I never once said that.’ 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.” She doubled down on this in an Instagram post, with the caption “I said what I said.”
After podcast host Brandi Kruse posted a video of Keaton’s exchange, the Storm issued an apology. “We are aware one of our co-owners made comments to two fans in attendance at last night’s game,” majority owner Ginny Gilder said in a statement. “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.” Then, as The Athletic reports, WNBA fined and suspended Keaton from the next five home games.
“Truly embarrassing of the co-owner,” Cunningham wrote on X. “Unfortunately shows the type of leader she is.”
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