Will you sign the petition to tell the WNBA to condemn transphobia?
Dear MoveOn member,
Discrimination and hate have no place in women’s basketball.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham made shocking remarks, saying that it was “common sense” to bar transgender athletes from women’s and girls' sports—and then doubled down when asked again.1
The comments were amplified by the Trump administration, which has made denigrating trans people and trans athletes its mission at every turn.
From issuing an executive order attempting to end medically necessary care for trans youth, to the State Department refusing to issue passports with accurate sex designations for trans and non-binary people, to issuing subpoenas for healthcare centers serving trans youth—the administration has eroded trans rights since Trump took office. And it's no surprise the administration jumped at the chance to amplify Cunningham’s anti-trans comments in order to further stoke their extreme and far-right base.2
Sports are supposed to bring people together, and imposing anti-trans rhetoric flies in the face of the WNBA’s “No Space for Hate” campaign, which WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert describes as, “a unifying force—a place where people from all walks of life come together not just to watch a game, but to connect.”3
It’s time for the WNBA to live out those words and make a bold statement condemning transphobia.
Tell the WNBA: Make the league a welcoming space for everyone and condemn transphobia.
The WNBA has a vibrant base of LGBTQ+ players, fans, and coaches, as well as allies, and many are speaking out against the blatant transphobia. Four-time WNBA Coach of the Year and Minnesota Lynx current head coach Cheryl Reeves said, "Exclusion is never the answer, separate isn’t equal, and trans lives matter." Las Vegas Aces player Brianna Turner said that attacks like these against the transgender community are "based on fearmongering and bigotry."4
Not to mention WNBA players themselves took a bold and clear stance when the union released a statement denouncing "hate, abuse, and demonization of any person or group of people, including transgender people," and making it clear that they "will not be used as political pawns."5 But the players need to know that the league has their back and shares those values, too.
Will you sign the petition urging the WNBA and WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert to follow suit and release a statement condemning transphobia?
Trans people belong in our courts and arenas, period. It’s clear the issue of trans women and girls competing in women’s sports is being weaponized by extremists to divide and distract us. According to the president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), there are fewer than 10 transgender athletes playing in collegiate sports, out of 510,000.6
Yet instead of focusing on the real issues and inequities that face women and nonbinary athletes—like pay, facility access, medical care, mental health support, sponsorships, and media representation—extremists want to focus on a nonissue to stoke fear, anger, and division. But that’s the opposite of what the WNBA should be fostering.
The WNBA is known for being welcoming and affirming for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Twenty-five percent of the league’s players identify as LGBTQ.7
The WNBA must live out its values and truly make the W “No Space for Hate,” and it can start by explicitly condemning transphobia.
Trans people deserve to access the full benefits of sports in our culture—both as players and fans. Sign this petition to tell the WNBA to take a stand against transphobia and make the league a safe and supportive community for all.
Thanks for all you do.
–Mary, Seth, Mia, Julia, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. “Sophie Cunningham says it’s ‘common sense’ to keep trans athletes out of women’s sports,” The Athletic, July 23, 2026
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7464960/2026/07/22/sophie-cunningham-trans-comments-womens-sports/?redirected=1
2. “Trump’s Assault On Transgender Rights,” ACLU, accessed July 27, 2026
https://www.aclu.org/trumps-assault-on-transgender-rights
3. “WNBA Unveils “No Space For Hate” Platform For Season-Long Community Impact,” WNBA.com, May 15, 2025
https://www.wnba.com/news/wnba-unveils-no-space-for-hate-platform
4. "Trump officials tout Sophie Cunningham as role model on trans issues,” The Washington Post, July 23, 2026
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/07/23/white-house-says-wnba-sophie-cunningham-is-right-trans-issues/
5. "WNBPA emphasizes inclusion amidst focus on transgender athletes," ESPN, August 7, 2026
https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/49554912/wnbpa-emphasizes-inclusion-amidst-focus-transgender-athletes
6. “NCAA president says there are ‘less than 10’ transgender athletes in college sports,” The Hill, December 18, 2024
https://thehill.com/homenews/lgbtq/5046662-ncaa-president-transgender-athletes-college-sports/
7. “Meet All 53 Gay WNBA Players of the 2026 Season,” Austrostraddle, July 21, 2026
https://www.autostraddle.com/every-gay-player-in-the-wnba/
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