Reeve wore a shirt reading "Trans Kids Belong" underneath her blazer while coaching against Sophie Cunningham's Indiana Fever at Target Center.There’s no reason to pretend the timing was coincidental.TRANS ACTIVISTS HARASS, HURL SLURS AT SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM SUPPORTERS BEFORE FEVER GAME IN MINNESOTAReeve had already addressed the transgender-athlete debate before the game, saying she comes from "a space of inclusion," that "we need to protect trans kids" and that "every kid has a right to sports." Her comments came with another rally supporting Cunningham’s position taking place outside the arena before the Fever-Lynx matchup.
Then, Reeve carried the message onto the sideline.Of course, she has every right to wear the shirt.The Lynx have every right to support her.
But it was also an unmistakable response to Cunningham, who has spent the past two weeks taking heavy criticism for saying girls and women shouldn’t have to compete against biological men or share locker rooms with them.Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve wore a ‘Trans Kids Belong’ shirt as the Lynx faced Sophie Cunningham’s Fever, adding new fuel to the WNBA’s trans-athlete debate.(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)Why anyone feels the need to argue against Cunningham's common-sense take is another matter.
But it's also important to note that Cunningham never said transgender kids don’t belong in sports, society or anywhere else.In fact, she said she had "never once" expressed hatred toward transgender people and argued that there is room for everyone.
Her position was more specific: "I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men."Reeve’s shirt collapsed that distinction into a progressive slogan.By wearing "Trans Kids Belong" while coaching against Cunningham, Reeve implied that Cunningham’s position is about excluding transgender children entirely.It isn’t.
Cunningham drew a line at participation in gi...