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Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve defended the right of "Save Women’s Sports" demonstrators to gather outside Sunday’s game against the Indiana Fever, even as she rejected their argument.
Reeve said that the scenario of "biological men" in girls' locker rooms is "not the case."
"It is not the case that we have 'biological men' in girls' locker rooms. The way it's being phrased, the innuendo there that transgender women are predators of some kind in the locker room. There's a lot of narrative that is problematic that we need to address," she said.
SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM RALLY ROCKS WNBA GAME AS 'SAVE WOMEN'S SPORTS' ACTIVISTS FACE COUNTERPROTEST
Fever star Sophie Cunningham recently said that she took a stand on the issue because, "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 remarks came before a rally dubbed "Sophie Night," which XX-XY Athletics founder Jennifer Sey plans to hold outside Target Center in support of Cunningham, ahead of the Lynx game against the Fever.
Reeve suggested she is not concerned about any safety issues as a result of the rally.
"I don’t think we should feel like our safe space is being threatened," Reeve told reporters on Saturday. "I don’t think these demonstrators are not being peaceful, not that I’ve seen. I haven’t seen all of it. I haven’t heard everything that’s happening. But everyone has a right to peacefully assemble, whether you agree with them or not."
Similar demonstrations followed the Fever to Seattle on Tuesday and Portland on Friday this past week. The Seattle game erupted into controversy when two teenage Cunningham supporters alleged that Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton cursed at them courtside. The WNBA fined Keaton and barred her from Seattle’s next five home games.
Reeve said the league must protect players and fans who feel threatened or discriminated against while preserving the WNBA’s culture of inclusion.
"The commissioner and the league have a responsibility to ensure that any topic that could be problematic for players, or they perceive to be unsafe or threatened in any way or discriminated against, I think that’s something that’s fair for our leadership," Reeve said. "And I’m quite sure that they have eyes on and ears on to make sure that it’s a safe space for everyone. And that’s what makes our league beautiful."
But Reeve also argued that transgender participation has been presented as a larger threat to women’s sports than it is.
"In terms of, you know, my views, since I said last week, I come from a space of inclusion. And the narrative that I think that is problematic is to suggest that, um, number one, that transgender athletes are the biggest problem in women's sports. And I, I think this is what's bothersome is that there's a faction of people in our country that are making this, uh, a massive issue," she said.
However, she acknowledged that questions become more complicated after puberty and at elite levels where championships and scholarships are at stake.
"Every kid has the right to access," Reeve said. "Now, what gets nuanced is when you’re beyond puberty, when you’re an Olympic sport, when you’re looking at scholarships and that sort of thing. That’s where I say that common-sense people get together and you find common ground to find a way to be inclusive. The answer isn’t no."
Reeve said she previously encouraged league officials to establish a policy before such a situation arises.
"I encouraged the WNBA leadership years ago: What’s our stance? What are we going to do when this occurs? Are we going to be ready? Are we going to be reactionary?" Reeve said. "It would make sense for our league to be leaders in this space."
The debate has reached the WNBA after other major sports institutions moved toward sex-based eligibility. The NCAA limits women’s competition to biological females, while the International Olympic Committee will impose biological eligibility rules and genetic screening for women’s events beginning with the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
The Supreme Court also upheld state laws protecting female school sports in June. The justices ruled 6-3 on the constitutional questions, while all nine agreed Title IX does not require states to make exceptions allowing transgender athletes into female competition.
Reeve nevertheless maintained that transgender participation is not the greatest obstacle facing female athletes, pointing instead to disparities in facilities, uniforms, locker rooms and institutional investment.
"This is an issue that I think we can thoughtfully work through," Reeve said. "You can voice your opinion, have a strong opinion, but it’s a safe space for everyone regardless of whether or not we agree."
Reeve revealed her stance on the issue on July 17, days before Cunningham revealed hers. Reeve was asked that day about the recent Supreme Court ruling that protects state laws that ban males from women's sports.
"The attacks on trans people, the attacks that they’ve gone through… it seems like it’s got way more aggressive, it’s sort of sickening when the issues they are trying to tackle are really not issues, the number of transgender athletes they are now making laws for and creating a problem, to get elected," Reeve said.
"What I’m hopeful for is that people have gotten themselves more educated and they understand that, that’s not actually a problem… exclusion is never the answer, separate isn’t equal, and trans lives matter, so to take away something that’s so valuable that sports brings to young people in particular and what it does, as I have a youngster, encourages you to be part of a team and what it gives you in terms of teamwork, leadership, competitiveness, all the things, they have every right to that as well"
Now, Reeve will lead a marquee matchup showdown against Cunningham, Clark and the Fever with what is expected to be the biggest Cunningham rally to date raging outside on Sunday.
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