Right-wing activists have recently taken an interest in women’s basketball, particularly in the Indiana Fever team, as a way to air grievances about gender and race. This interest was sparked by comments from Fever player Sophie Cunningham, who expressed her opinion that it is ‘common sense’ to ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports.

Background

Celeste Keaton, a co-owner of the Seattle Storm, was fined and suspended for five home games after confronting two teenage girls wearing ‘XX/XY’ shirts at a game between the Storm and the Fever. The shirts were a reference to human sex chromosomes and were seen as a statement against transgender athletes competing in women’s sports.

Former gymnast Jennifer Sey, who founded the brand XX-XY Athletics, has been a vocal advocate for keeping transgender women out of women’s sports. Sey, along with former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines, has been attending Fever games and speaking out against transgender athletes.

Controversy

The WNBA has been at the center of controversy surrounding transgender athletes, with some arguing that they have an unfair advantage. However, a 2017 report found ‘no direct or consistent research’ on transgender people having an athletic advantage over their cisgender peers.

The issue has been politicized, with some right-wing media outlets and politicians weighing in on the issue. The Supreme Court recently upheld state bans on transgender girls playing on girls’ sports teams.

Despite the controversy, the WNBA has welcomed transgender and nonbinary players, including Layshia Clarendon, who became the first out trans and nonbinary person in the WNBA in 2020.

Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.