{"id":6476,"date":"2026-08-13T07:08:50","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T07:08:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=6476"},"modified":"2026-08-13T07:08:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T07:08:50","slug":"wnba-slams-bad-faith-efforts-to-marginalize-others-amid-trans-athlete-debate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=6476","title":{"rendered":"WNBA slams ‘bad-faith efforts’ to ‘marginalize others’ amid trans athlete debate"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

WNBA general managers and presidents discussed transgender athletes on Wednesday as part of an anti-hate task force meeting, and the league said afterward that there were \u201cno immediate eligibility matters affecting\u201d the W. <\/p>\n

Read more Tennessee city council meeting erupts after vice mayor stands by scathing email telling resident to \u2018go back into tree\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

On top of that, the league slammed \u201cbad-faith efforts\u201d to \u201cmarginalize others.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cToday\u2019s meeting covered a wide range of topics, including ongoing discussions on transgender athletes and the continued hate and vitriol directed at players online,\u201d a spokesperson for the league said in a statement provided to The Post. \u201cWe will continue to engage all league stakeholders in the coming weeks and months. We will approach these important conversations thoughtfully and in alignment with the values of our league. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Debate has raged over trans athletes and their participation in the wake of Fever guard Sophie Cunningham\u2019s recent comments to ESPN at the end of July. <\/p>\n

\u201cI got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I\u2019m like, \u2018I never once said that,\u2019\u201d Cunningham told the outlet. \u201cI think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn\u2019t have to go against biological men.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following the interview with the Worldwide Leader, Cunningham told reporters before a Fever game that she believes her beliefs are \u201ccommon sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

This month, former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom asked the WNBA to accept his \u201cdecision to enter the player pool for the 2027 WNBA Draft,\u201d while former NBAer Royce White also planned to declare his for the W\u2019s draft.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, Kanter Freedom doubled down on his stance and posted a workout video with a caption: \u201cLet \u2018The Transition\u2019 to the @WNBA begin,\u201d Freedom wrote in a caption on the footage. \u201cRules Are Rules! #LetFreedomPlay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Texas teacher breaks down in tears during class after his senior students struggled to read, write<\/a><\/p>\n

The task force on Wednesday also discussed online hate that has been directed toward players, which remains a top priority for the league. <\/p>\n

Going forward, the task force won\u2019t be the only group involved in discussions surrounding trans athletes and the WNBA, which will consider the matter thoroughly and without giving energy to what it believes are publicity stunts meant to mock the league.<\/p>\n

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a memo last week that in regard to trans athlete participation, the league will \u201calways approach this topic thoughtfully, respectfully, and in alignment with the longstanding values of our league. Second, our player eligibility rules, unlike the eligibility rules of some other leagues and governing bodies, are collectively bargained.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fever coach Stephanie White, during an impassioned pregame interview before Tuesday\u2019s win over the Liberty, was asked about a hard foul against Cunningham by Sky star DiJonai Carrington. She clarified her previous comments and said she always has her players\u2019 backs. <\/p>\n

\u201cI take personally any suggestions that I don\u2019t 100 percent always have my player\u2019s back,\u201d White told reporters. \u201cI ride with them 10 toes down all the time \u2014 all the time,\u201d she said. \u201cThey know that. It\u2019s a shame that we can\u2019t have an opportunity to talk about what great basketball they\u2019re playing because they are f\u2013king playing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe reality is with me, I will always lead with love. I will always lead with grace, I will always lead with humility and I will always lead with integrity. Doesn\u2019t mean I\u2019ll always get it right. I\u2019m also human. The hate, the fearmongering, the divisiveness, the stuff that\u2019s trying to hijack our league will not win. It won\u2019t win. We are united, we are connected. We will not be divided. Every day these women put their ass on the line. Every day. When they go low, we go high. Love will win. Grace will win. Humility will win, and kindness will win. I stand by them. <\/p>\n

Read more California native emerges as possible replacement for White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt<\/a><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll always stand by them. Everybody else can go to hell.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The WNBA says there are “no immediate eligibility matters” regarding trans athletes, slamming “bad-faith efforts” to marginalize others.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6475,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[93],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wnba"],"yoast_head":"\nWNBA slams 'bad-faith efforts' to 'marginalize others' amid trans athlete debate - Metro Transit Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=6476\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"WNBA slams 'bad-faith efforts' to 'marginalize others' amid trans athlete debate - 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