Ex-WNBA Star Rips White Players Over Transgenderism

Former WNBA player Sydney Colson, co-host of the podcast “Unsupervised with Syd and TP,” criticized white players in the league for their comments on transgender issues in women’s sports. She said, “Listen, if you never speak up about a damn thing when you know it’s impacting the people you claim to love and care about, you ought to be ashamed to act like you’re cool with people, to act like you care about sisterhood, all of these things.”

Colson continued, “For the white players in the league, when you don’t say sh*t, and even worse, when you say things that are harmful, talking about the trans sh*t, nobody respects you. Shut the f*** up. Shut the f*** up. Nobody wants to hear your opinion. Freedom of speech, so you can say it, but just know people are trying to get by when they’re dealing with you.”

Sydney Colson , calling Sophie Cunningham and the Indiana Fever fans dumbasses and discussing if Sophie Cunningham should start being fouled hard for comments on trans community https://t.co/4WXoE2O205

— Letstalkksports (@letstalkksports) October 10, 2026

The comments addressed the debate over whether biological males should compete against women in sports. Colson did not name Sophie Cunningham, but the context points to Cunningham, the only WNBA player who has publicly opposed allowing biological males in women’s sports.

Cunningham, a white Fever guard and former teammate of Colson’s from the 2025 season, stated in a July ESPN interview, “I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men,” calling it “common sense.”

Those remarks produced backlash and protests at Fever games. Colson’s remarks framed silence or opposition from white players as inconsistent with claims of caring about sisterhood and those affected by the issue.

The podcast discussion occurred against the backdrop of ongoing public debate over transgender participation in women’s athletics. No direct responses to Colson’s comments were included in the reporting of the episode.

The controversy extended beyond transgender participation in women’s sports, with Colson also criticizing the Indiana Fever organization over allegations of racism involving its fan base.

During the October 8 episode of her podcast, Colson discussed complaints about discriminatory behavior directed toward WNBA players, including an incident involving Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson and a Fever fan.

Colson challenged comments from Fever general manager Amber Cox, who had pushed back against allegations of racism among the team’s supporters.
The former guard argued that dismissing concerns about discrimination ignores the experiences of players who have described hostile treatment from spectators.

Colson emphasized that she was not accusing every Indiana fan of racism but believed the organization needed to take complaints from players more seriously.
The discussion also revisited the WNBA’s history of political activism, including the league’s involvement in racial justice protests during 2020.

Colson and podcast co-host Theresa Plaisance recalled their opposition to former Atlanta Dream co-owner Kelly Loeffler, who publicly criticized the league’s support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Loeffler’s position sparked a major dispute with WNBA players, some of whom openly supported her political opponent during Georgia’s Senate election.
Meanwhile, Cunningham has defended her position on transgender athletes, insisting that her concerns about women’s sports should not be interpreted as hostility toward transgender individuals.

In previous remarks, Cunningham rejected accusations that she hated transgender people and explained that she considered protecting female athletic competition compatible with treating others respectfully.

Cunningham has also described her political views as relatively moderate, despite attracting attention from conservative audiences over her position on transgender participation in sports.

The disagreement highlights a broader divide over whether advocating for transgender inclusion conflicts with maintaining sex-based eligibility requirements in female athletic competitions.

The WNBA has historically supported LGBTQ rights, while Cunningham’s position has drawn attention because it differs from the public advocacy commonly associated with the league.

Colson, a two-time WNBA champion who previously played for the Las Vegas Aces, spent the 2025 season with Indiana before her playing career ended.

Her comments added another chapter to the increasingly public disagreements surrounding the Fever, whose growing national profile has brought greater scrutiny to players’ political statements, fan behavior, and organizational leadership.