By Samantha Kamman, Christian Post Reporter
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham came to the defense of two teenage girls who claim that Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton cursed at them and invoked religion after they expressed support for the WNBA player who said it’s “common sense” to bar men from women’s sports.
“I truly believe there is a safe space and love for EVERYBODY. Biological girls, biological boys, trans women, and trans men. Everyone is welcome at my table! You can disagree and still be kind,” Cunningham wrote in an X post.
“Bravo to those girls for standing up for what they believe. You’ll be hearing from me soon … yay for gifts,” the female athlete continued. “Truly embarrassing of the co-owner. Unfortunately shows the type of leader she is.”
Cunningham issued the statement after the incident during Tuesday night’s game between the Indiana Fever and Seattle Storm.
In a video shared online by “unDivided” podcast host Brandi Kruse, two 16-year-old girls wearing XX-XY Athletics shirts said Keaton told them they were “f—ing insane.”
According to the girls’ account, Keaton also invoked religion during the confrontation, telling them, “Jesus loves everyone” and “I hope Jesus can forgive you for what sin you’ve done,” adding that “God can save you.”
The video Kruse shared also showed the teenage girls sitting courtside during the basketball game while one of them held a sign that read, “Thank you Sophie for speaking up for girls.”
On the night of the game, a group of people gathered outside Climate Pledge Arena to support Cunningham, The Associated Press reported. Members of the crowd also promoted initiatives like IL26-638 — which would bar men from participating in women’s sports — and IL26-001, a measure concerning parental rights relating to their children in public school.
The group of supporters that later went inside the arena included several teenage girls, Fox News Digital reported. The teenagers reportedly faced pushback from fans and some of the WNBA athletes.
Kruse, one of the organizers of the gathering, told the outlet that multiple Storm players made a thumbs-down gesture in response to the teens after one of the girls wearing an XX-XY Athletics shirt stood up and danced during a break.
XX-XY Athletics is a clothing brand that advocates against allowing men who identify as the opposite sex to compete in women’s sports.
According to Kruse, she heard from one of the teens that an older woman had approached them and cursed at them. The girls pointed to a woman sitting across from them, and Kruse alerted a security guard, who identified the woman as “one of the owners of the team.”
Keaton, herself a Storm co-owner, is married to fellow team co-owner Lisa Brummel.
While Kruse said she urged security to speak with the woman, security personnel told her to contact the Storm’s front office after the game, Fox News Digital reported.
“Had this been any other fan under any other circumstances who swore at and called some teenage girls ‘f—ing insane’ until they cried, they would’ve been ejected,” Kruse said.
The Seattle Storm didn’t immediately respond to The Christian Post’s request for comment. This article will be updated if a response is received.
Following the incident, Storm majority owner Ginny Gilder issued an apology, stating, “Everyone who attends a Storm game deserves to feel welcome, and we remain committed to creating an inclusive environment where every fan is treated with respect.”
The WNBA subsequently confirmed that Keaton was fined an undisclosed amount and suspended from attending the Storm’s next five home games, though the league did not publicly state its reasoning for the discipline, The New York Times reported.
In response, the Storm organization said in a statement, “We respect the league’s decision to fine and suspend co-owner Celeste Keaton. We remain committed to creating a welcoming and respectful environment for anyone who attends a Storm game.”
The Indiana Fever also addressed the controversy surrounding the pregame rally. When a reporter asked Fever coach Stephanie White about it, a team public relations representative intervened and read a statement: “Neither our organization nor Sophie had any knowledge” of the rally in advance, according to ESPN.
Cunningham has received praise from women’s sports advocates after telling ESPN that the WNBA player defended her belief that female athletes shouldn’t have to compete against men.
“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that,'” Cunningham said. “I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”
On Tuesday, Seattle Storm center Stefanie Dolson wore a shirt before playing against Indiana that read, “Trans rights are human rights,” which some speculated was in response to Cunningham’s stance on women’s sports.
Conservative activist and women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines called out Dolson in a post on X Wednesday, writing, “It’s almost hilarious because I can guarantee you she’s a self-proclaimed feminist, yet she’s wearing a shirt demanding more rights for men lol,” Gaines wrote.
“The definition of insufferable,” she added.
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
