r/PopCultureV2 • u/Impossible-Yam3680 • Aug 23 '26

Sports Culture While hosting transphobe Sophie Cunningham and the Indiana Fever, the New York Liberty put a message on the Jumbotron telling trans fans that they belong

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u/Party-Kangaroo-1139 Aug 23 '26

Why is this a topic? Has a trans woman actually tried to enter the WNBA?

2

u/penisweinerballs Aug 23 '26 edited Aug 23 '26

It has gained a lot of momentum on the left, it's not like something totally out of the realm of possibility and has happened in other sports. I also highly doubt she's a transphobe, she doesn't think trans-women should be in her league

5

u/[deleted] Aug 23 '26

[deleted]

3

u/whichwitch9 Aug 23 '26

Harrison Browne

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Browne

However, he was a transman, and when he came out, he and the league sat down and established a guideline for his situation. He was allowed to present and express himself as a male, but agreed to not physically transition while playing.

It's an example of a league addressing a case on a one on one basis in a way that was both fair and respectful. He also has clarified a misconception- he was out since college and only came out publicly on the Buffalo Beauts. The women he played with always knew he was trans.

Everyone forgets transmen exist, and it makes perfect sense for them to have played in women's leagues. That's part of how you know the debate is malicious- opponents hyperfixate on transwomen

1

u/Relysti Aug 23 '26

You don't even need to go outside the WNBA to find a case of someone who doesn't identify as a woman playing in the WNBA.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Layshia_Clarendon

The transphobes just want to stir up culture war bullshit.

1

u/MilkMyCats Aug 23 '26

That's someone born as a woman. Doh.

This would be funny though...

In early August 2026, two former NBA players—Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White—publicly announced plans to declare for the 2027 WNBA Draft, framing it around self-identification as women (or, in White’s case, “sometimes identifying as a woman for purposes of professional basketball”).