As the WNBA tries to fathom what the “W” in their own name stands for, its own past statements on social media are revealing the entity’s biases against their own athletes.
The league was dropped into the middle of the debate over whether men should take away athletic opportunities for women when Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham said it was unfair for males to compete against females. A counter-attack erupted within the league as coaches and players fired back by spewing the liberal orthodoxy that mediocre transgender athletes need a place to win awards.
The WNBA’s 2026 collective bargaining agreement says, “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA.”
But there is no definition of women in the policy, and the issue of men playing in the WNBA by saying they identify as female is not discussed.
The WNBA was not allowed to simply let the issue fade after two former male NBA players said they want to be selected in the 2027 draft given the lack of any barriers in the league’s rules.
Buffeted by the winds of controversy, the league sought refuge in the traditional remedies of meetings, task forces, and PR statements.
Thus, after a WNBA task force kicked the issue of letting men into the league down the road, a statement emerged, according to ESPN.
“Today’s meeting covered a wide range of topics, including ongoing discussions on transgender athletes and the continued hate and vitriol directed at players online. We will continue to engage all league stakeholders in the coming weeks and months,” the statement said.
“We will approach these important conversations thoughtfully and in alignment with the values of our league. There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others,” the statement said.
The WNBA was denied the ability to proclaim neutrality when its social media history yielded past support for transgender athletes.
The WNBA has supported men taking opportunities from women since at least 2021.
Enes @EnesFreedom is no different. Let them play! https://t.co/hthRpI9Ltf
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) August 13, 2026
A June 2021 genuflection to the liberal altar of so-called “Pride Month” saw the WNBA issue a post gushing over Andraya Yearwood and Terry Miller, a pair of men competing as women who were dominating high school events against actual girls.
The WNBA says it needs “weeks and months” to figure out who gets to compete in girl’s and women’s sports.
In 2021, the league wasn’t confused at all. It celebrated two males who stole multiple state titles and records from girls.
The league already told us where it stands. https://t.co/Pdm8MDP8aE
— Dan Zaksheske (@RealDanZak) August 13, 2026
“The WNBA has supported men taking opportunities from women since at least 2021,” Riley Gaines, an activist who supports opportunities for women in sports, posted on X.
“The WNBA says it needs ‘weeks and months’ to figure out who gets to compete in girl’s and women’s sports. In 2021, the league wasn’t confused at all. It celebrated two males who stole multiple state titles and records from girls. The league already told us where it stands,” Outkick reporter Dan Zaksheske posted on X.
Another user noted that to him, the league’s history makes it clear they would rather appease the left than do what is right.
This is why the @WNBA doesn’t know what the W means in WNBA. This is why they ignored the issue; they didn’t want to offend their activist fans. They rather protect the feelings of mentally ill men than the women of their own league. https://t.co/I7eGAY70WC
— Vasilias Christos (@VasiliasChristo) August 13, 2026
“This is why the @WNBA doesn’t know what the W means in WNBA. This is why they ignored the issue; they didn’t want to offend their activist fans. They rather protect the feelings of mentally ill men than the women of their own league,” he posted on X.
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