Trump officials are “amplifying” Fever G Sophie Cunningham’s comments that transgender athletes should “not participate in women’s sports, seizing on her remarks to reinforce” President Trump’s position on the issue, according to Diamond & Maese of the WASHINGTON POST. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday that Trump is following coverage of Cunningham’s remarks and “feels strongly about the issue.” Leavitt said at a White House briefing that Cunningham was “speaking the ‘truth’ about transgender female athletes.” Cunningham made the remarks in an ESPN article earlier this week and told reporters on Wednesday that she “stood by them.” Diamond & Maese note Cunningham’s comments “drew pushback from some prominent WNBA figures” who said that transgender athletes “should be allowed to compete in women’s sports and characterized the debate as overblown, citing the relatively small numbers of transgender athletes.” The White House has “previously amplified Cunningham through their platforms.” Officials last month “spliced video of her pointing -- a gesture that went viral when Cunningham did it to another player during a game -- into a clip of Trump making a similar gesture.” Cunningham has declined to identify herself with a specific political party (WASHINGTON POST, 7/23).
OTHER NOTES: In Indianapolis, Ferguson & Peterson noted the profile by ESPN “addressed the connotation of ‘MAGA Barbie’ that some have dubbed Cunningham, a white woman from Columbia, Missouri.” One Cunningham believes is “projected onto her because of her appearance and where she is from.” The question Thursday that prompted Leavitt’s response: “(Sophie) Cunningham in the WNBA has been attacked as a MAGA Barbie for saying it’s common sense for men to not be in women’s sports locker rooms. Is the president following this story and has he reached out to her?” Cunningham was asked Wednesday and said, “I’m not a very political person, but I do have beliefs, I have morals, and I’ll always stand on those and be true to who I am” (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 7/23).
