Former NFL defensive lineman and LSU national champion Breiden Fehoko has waded into the trans debate that has engulfed the WNBA, backing Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham and proposing what he called a way to settle the argument for good.
Fehoko wrote on social media: "When a baby is born at the hospital, they are either a boy or a girl. There are no trans kids. Stop pushing that bulls*** on this generation. It's only groomer parents."
Cunningham sparked the controversy with comments that she wanted to "protect young girls" from "biological men" in sports. The remarks have divided fans at Fever games, with some cheering her on the court and others booing during the team's last three games. Fans have also brought signs both praising and criticizing her.
Fehoko then proposed a plan he said would expose hypocrisy in the league. "A male college basketball athlete should identify as a woman for a few years. Let's get you drafted into the WNBA," he wrote. "If they don't draft you, they're hypocrites who don't 'value trans rights.' If they draft you, you become the best to ever grace the hardwood. Emphasis on hard and wood."
Sign dispute at Target Center
The divide played out again on Sunday night when fans inside and outside Target Center in Minneapolis carried signs about Cunningham's comments. Political activist Riley Gaines said she traveled to the arena to support Cunningham, carrying a custom-made sign reading "Sophie, Thank You - A Girl Mom."
Retired gymnast Jennifer Sey, a friend of Gaines, said Gaines was told by staff to put her sign down. Gaines reposted Sey's account on X, writing: "There were no fewer than 1000 signs in the arena. Most with trans paraphernalia. The only person who was told to put her sign down by WNBA officials was me. Wonder why."
Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer, later told OutKick she had checked the arena's sign policy in advance. "I checked all the sign policies before I went in there. I made sure it was like 11 by 17. That's the sign size you could have. So, I got a ruler out," she said. She described an arena staffer in black official clothing pointing at her and telling her to put the sign down. "He comes over and he says, 'You have to take your sign down.' I'm like, 'No, I don't. I checked all the sign policies before I went in there,'" Gaines said. When she asked why, she said the staffer told her: "Because it has her name on it. It has Sophie's name on it, so you can't have that." Gaines said fans around her objected, noting other signs in the arena also had names on them, and that the staffer later returned and apologized. She kept the sign and had Cunningham hold it with her for a courtside photo after the Lynx's 108-100 win.
Reeve wears 'Trans Kids Belong' shirt
Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve wore a "Trans Kids Belong" t-shirt on the sidelines during the game. Reeve, who also serves as head coach of USA Basketball's women's national team, spoke to reporters before the matchup and defended her stance. "I come from a space of inclusion. The narrative that I think is problematic is to suggest that transgender athletes are the biggest problem in women's sports," Reeve said. "This is what's bothersome. There is a faction of people in our country that are making this a massive issue."
Clashes outside the arena
The tension carried into the streets outside Target Center, where rallies brought Cunningham supporters and pro-trans demonstrators face-to-face ahead of tip-off. A video captured a female Cunningham supporter snatching a t-shirt out of the hands of a pro-trans demonstrator. A group of pro-trans protesters then swarmed the woman and wrestled the shirt back as shouting broke out between the two sides. Target Center security guards and arena staff intervened to separate the groups and restore order.
