More Female Athletes Are Being Urged to Speak Up on Fairness — and Sophie Cunningham’s Stance Is Forcing the Question

Sophie Cunningham’s decision to publicly defend keeping women’s sports for biological females has prompted fresh calls for other high-profile female athletes to take a clearer position.

Cunningham has emphasized protecting young girls and the original intent of Title IX. Her comments drew both support and backlash, including from some within the WNBA.

Many of the most prominent female stars have remained largely silent or offered carefully measured responses. Simone Biles previously criticized Riley Gaines and argued for finding ways to include transgender athletes rather than excluding them, later apologizing for personal attacks but not retracting her support for inclusion.

West Wilson, childhood friend of #Fever guard Sophie Cunningham and cohost of her podcast:

“Right-wingers have convinced a massive portion of people in our country that (transgender athletes) are a threat to sports in America, when mathematically that’s not the case at all.” pic.twitter.com/GXV3x87S5P

— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) July 25, 2026

A’ja Wilson has frequently spoken about equality and diversity but has no widely known public statement directly addressing eligibility rules for biological males in women’s sports. Serena Williams and others have similarly avoided strong public positions on the competitive fairness question.

Advocates for single-sex sports argue that the relative silence from many top athletes leaves younger competitors without high-profile cover. Cunningham’s willingness to speak has been praised by groups focused on Title IX enforcement as a rare example of a current professional athlete prioritizing biological reality and fairness over institutional pressure.

The debate continues to intensify as more states pass laws protecting women’s and girls’ categories and as lawsuits challenge policies that allow male-bodied athletes to compete in female divisions.