印第安纳步行者队球员Sophie Cunningham在波特兰对阵火焰队的比赛前表示，她不担心围绕自己的跨性别权益抗议活动会影响球队的专注力。[1]库宁安姆说："我想最终，我来这里就是为了做好我的工作。"[1]这是连续第二场步行者队比赛在场外出现反对跨性别运动员参加女性体育项目的集会。[1]波特兰的集会吸引了二十多名参与者。[1]
步行者队主教练Stephanie White对这一局面表示沮丧，她表示："当然存在一种沮丧感，因为我们希望能够讨论篮球。"[1]库宁安姆在进场时遭到嘘声，现场观众挥舞着粉红、蓝白相间的跨性别旗帜。[1]抗议集会还宣传了华盛顿州的投票提议IL26-638，该提议旨在禁止跨性别学生参加该州学校的女生体育项目。[1]此前，西雅图的类似集会后，风暴队联合所有者Celeste Keaton被WNBA罚款并禁赛五场。[1]周日明尼阿波利斯对阵森林狼队的比赛前，还计划举行另一场集会。[1]
Sophie Cunningham of the Indiana Fever said she is not bothered by protests opposing transgender athletes' participation in women's sports that have surrounded her team's recent games.[1] Stating that "I think at the end of the day, I come in and I do my job," Cunningham dismissed concerns that the demonstrations could become a distraction for the team.[1]
The protests have now appeared at consecutive Fever games.[1] In Portland, the rally drew more than twenty participants who booed Cunningham as she entered the arena and waved pink and blue-and-white transgender flags.[1] A similar gathering is planned for Sunday's matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis.[1] The Portland protest also promoted Washington state ballot measure I-1026, which would prohibit transgender students from participating in girls' school sports programs in that state.[1]
In contrast to Cunningham's measured response, Fever coach Stephanie White expressed frustration with the situation, stating that "there is a frustration, of course, because we want to talk about basketball."[1] The controversy has already drawn WNBA attention; Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton was fined and suspended for five games following protests at a previous game.[1]