Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve wore a 'Trans Kids Belong' t-shirt on the sidelines Sunday during her team's game against Sophie Cunningham and the Indiana Fever at Target Center in Minneapolis.
The shirt came amid a growing controversy over transgender participation in women's sports, reignited after Cunningham said she wanted to 'protect young girls' from 'biological men.'
Speaking to reporters before the game, Reeve, who also serves as head coach for USA Basketball's women's national team, said: '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.' She added: 'This is what's bothersome. There is a faction of people in our country that are making this a massive issue.'
Reeve's stance stands in contrast to Fever head coach Stephanie White, who drew online criticism over the weekend after saying she was 'not educated enough from a scientific standpoint' to take a definitive position.
Protests turn chaotic outside Target Center
The tension carried onto the streets outside Target Center, where demonstrations turned chaotic ahead of tip-off. Rallies organized outside the arena brought supporters of Cunningham face-to-face with pro-trans demonstrators.
A physical altercation broke out when a female Cunningham supporter was filmed snatching a t-shirt from a pro-trans demonstrator's hands. A group of pro-trans protesters swarmed her, wrestling the shirt back as shouting erupted between the two sides. Target Center security guards and arena staff intervened to separate the factions and restore order.
It was the third consecutive road game in which the Fever have been met with demonstrations, following similar protests outside arenas in Seattle and Portland over Cunningham's stance. The controversy has come during a turbulent stretch off the court for the organization, despite the Fever riding a five-game winning streak.
Cunningham's ESPN comments and Portland reaction
Cunningham has been at the center of the debate over the past week after telling ESPN that young girls 'shouldn't have to go against biological men' when playing sports.
While Cunningham had been supported by protesters outside several WNBA arenas in recent days, the reaction turned in Portland on Friday night, when the 29-year-old was booed by the partisan home crowd. On court, she appeared to call fans 'losers' with a hand signal after scoring a three-pointer. Cunningham later posted a video of the moment on social media, writing: 'I didn't call them losers but I did talk s***.' In a follow-up post, she shared a video of herself with a finger to her lips, appearing to try to quiet those booing her. She also posted a clip of herself handing a young fan her game-worn shoes as a thank you for the support.
