Sophie Cunningham is going to have her say, even when she does not speak a word.
The WNBA star became a lightning rod for criticism after saying that she did not believe men who proclaim they are female belong in women’s sports.
On Tuesday, before her Indiana Fever defeated the Minnesota Lynx 96-77, Cunningham posed after she arrived at Gainbridge Fieldhouse with a sweater that read, “Kick Rocks.” The phrase is an oldie that offers a contemptuous way to dismiss someone without resorting to the profanity often aimed at Cunningham for speaking out to protect women in sports.
One more time for the home team… https://t.co/uk3CmRcyIs
— Sophie Cunningham FAN CLUB (@SophieC_FanClub) September 22, 2026
Cunningham posted the photo to her Instagram page, captioned, “I mean… if the shoe fits.”
Is Cunningham right to publicly fight against male athletes in girl’s/women’s sports?
As noted by the U.K.’s Daily Mail, Cunningham not only spoke her mind about transgender athletes, but also Sydney Sweeney’s sports gambling ad, in which Sweeney appears in the state of undress known to gamblers who have lost their shirts and everything else.
Although some female athletes took Sweeney to task for the pose, Cunningham — while not saying she supports Sweeney – took a garden hose to the flames of wrath.
go Soph ❤️🔥
congrats to Sophie Cunningham on surpassing 2,000 career points. https://t.co/t0hVFcqtZE
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) September 23, 2026
“Why are girls mad?” she said on her podcast. “That is literally what she does. Why is anyone mad? It is a gambling ad: men, sports, naked women. Of course that’s going to draw attention.”
“Do I agree with it? Morally, I think it’s kind of weird, but each to their own. Go do your thing, sis,” she said.
Cunningham continued to draw attention after Tuesday’s game when, as part of a giveaway, she hurled a mini-basketball she signed into the upper level of the stands, as noted by USA Today.
call me Patrick Mahomes from here on out
— Sophie Cunningham (@sophaller) September 23, 2026
But above all, she is noted for her advocacy of women, which she repeated in a video posted to X in which she said she is not out to tear down, but to build up.
“… I think I’ll always believe in that. I think it’s really important to protect children, and that’s little girls, who are also involved in that category. I stand on what I said, and I will always believe that,” she said.
Shop the verified Sophie Cunningham Kick Rocks Sweatshirt seen in the viral WNBA pregame tunnel look.ncludes fast domestic US shipping and order tracking. https://t.co/en4AfYtWhv via @pinterest
— Daily Drip Shop (@dailydripshop) September 24, 2026
She was firm on her core point.
“When it comes to protecting women in sports and young girls in sports, I feel very strongly about that. I think that’s why you have Title IX,” she said, referring to the legislation requiring colleges that offer sports for men to offer them for women.
Sophie Cunningham gets grilled by WNBA reporters for saying men shouldn’t be able to play women’s sports. Refuses to back down. “I said what I said.” Eloquently defends women’s sports as woke reporters press her. Love all of this. Well done @sophaller. pic.twitter.com/kUjlt8ZZDH
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) July 23, 2026
“I acted in love, and I don’t dislike anyone,” she told a media questioner at the time. “I think there’s room for absolutely everyone here, and I think there’s room to love everyone.”
“And I truly think when you get people in the same room, and you have conversations, you actually have a lot in common with a lot of people. And so I’m there to love, but I’m also there to love biological women. And I think that there are rights that need to be protected. And like I said, I’m going to stand true to that,” she said.
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