These female athletes need to speak up about keeping women's sports for women, like Sophie Cunningham did

The rumor of biologic men participating successful women’s sports has been a awesome rumor for years now. It’s a polarizing statement among group from nan highest offices successful authorities to mundane citizens.

Yet contempt nan prominence of this rumor and conversation, galore of nan world’s astir influential female sports stars person ne'er publically addressed it. Some have, unfortunately, openly and unapologetically supported antheral "inclusion," while others person offered cautiously measured responses. Shockingly, galore person simply ne'er been asked astir it, from what I tin spot successful nan nationalist record.

Sophie Cunningham became 1 of conscionable a fistful of salient female athletes to return a beardown stance successful nan effort to "protect young girls" by keeping women’s sports female.

Cunningham’s statements person made maine wonderment what precisely immoderate of nan astir salient female athletes (past and present) person said connected nan issue.

'Save Girls Sports' protestors and trans jock AB Hernandez (Getty Images)

SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM SPEAKS OUT TO PROTECT GIRLS AS WNBA ALL-STAR INITIATIVE BACKS ‘GENDER-EXPANSIVE’ GROUP

Simone Biles (Olympic Gold Medal Gymnast)

Simone Biles reacts aft competing connected nan beam connected time 3 of nan gymnastics arena finals during nan Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games connected Aug. 5, 2024, successful Paris, France. (Jack Gruber/USA TODAY Sports)

Simone Biles became 1 of nan highest-profile female athletes to straight measurement successful connected nan rumor successful June 2025 during her public feud pinch Riley Gaines connected X.

Biles, arguably nan astir influential and celebrated female jock presently competing today, criticized Gaines aft commenting connected a Minnesota precocious schoolhouse softball title team, which was playing pinch a male.

Biles wrote that Gaines was "truly sick" and later based on that sports organizations should find ways for transgender athletes to compete successful women’s sports, alternatively than excluding them altogether. A wildly anti-woman take, if you inquire me.

After receiving relentless backlash, Biles apologized for her individual attacks against Gaines, but did not retract her support for "inclusion."

Biles, erstwhile speaking to media pursuing nan dispute, reaffirmed that she supports "inclusion," while acknowledging nan speech astir fairness is analyzable successful her opinion.

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A’Ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces - WNBA)

A'ja Wilson attacks nan defense during nan Las Vegas Aces' showdown pinch nan Indiana Fever successful Las Vegas. (Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images) ((Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images))

Back to backmost WNBA MVP A'Ja Wilson has not publically commented connected transgender information successful women’s aliases girls’ sports.

Throughout her career, Wilson has often spoken astir equality, diversity, and inclusion, conscionable for illustration astir WNBA players, but location is nary known nationalist connection from Wilson addressing eligibility rules involving women aliases girls sports.

From what I could tell, location is nary confirmed lawsuit of Wilson being straight asked astir nan rumor by a reporter, podcast host, aliases media outlet.

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Serena Williams (Tennis Great)

Serena Williams and Venus Williams of nan United States during their Women's Doubles lucifer connected Arthur Ashe Stadium against Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskova of nan Czech Republic during nan US Open Tennis Championship 2022 astatine nan USTA National Tennis Centre connected Sept. 1, 2022 successful Flushing, Queens, New York City. (Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)

Serena Williams, wide regarded arsenic nan top female tennis subordinate of each time, has ne'er publically stated a definitive position connected antheral information successful women’s sports.

The absorbing facet successful this statement for fairness and information successful women’s sports is that statements she made during a 2013 quality connected David Letterman are utilized to showcase really superior men are to women biologically successful sport.

When discussing nan differences betwixt men’s and women’s tennis. Williams said that if she played Andy Murray she would suffer "6-0, 6-0 successful 5 to six minutes," adding that men’s and women’s tennis were "almost 2 abstracted sports."

Those remarks were made successful consequence to questions astir whether she could compete pinch apical antheral players, not astir women’s sports eligibility policies. Those comments person undoubtedly been immoderate of nan astir impactful successful nan conflict to support women’s sports female, though.

Williams has been a catalyst for nan cause, moreover without knowing what women’s sports would look aft 10 years pursuing those comments.

Katie Ledecky (Olympic Champion Swimmer)

Katie Ledecky collaborated pinch Core Power up of nan Olympics. (Core Power)

A nine-time Olympic golden medalist swimmer from nan United States, Katie Ledecky, has not publically taken a broadside successful nan issue.

Despite swimming having go 1 of nan cardinal sports successful nan nationalist statement pursuing nan Lia Thomas controversy, Ledecky has mostly avoided commenting connected governmental aliases taste issues.

Katie Ledecky was straight asked by "The New York Times" successful a June 2024 floor plan astir nan NCAA Title IX suit stemming from Lia Thomas’ information successful nan 2022 NCAA Championships.

Rather than endorsing aliases opposing transgender information successful women’s sports, Ledecky declined to return a position. The Times reported that she "preferred not to measurement in."

Ledecky added, "I deliberation we’re fortunate to unrecorded successful a state wherever issues tin beryllium debated," and emphasized learning from different perspectives. When asked much broadly astir politics, Ledecky said, "I don’t want to get into politics," explaining that she prefers to attraction connected swimming alternatively than arguable nationalist debates.

Coco Gauff (Tennis Star)

Coco Gauff of USA reacts against Sorana Cirstea of Romania during nan Mutua Madrid Open 2026, ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000, astatine La Caja Magica connected April 26, 2026 successful Madrid, Spain. (Photo By Dennis Agyeman/Europa Press via Getty Images) (Dennis Agyeman/Europa Press via Getty Images)

A top-5 women’s tennis player, Coco Gauff has publically supported LGBTQ communities and has participated successful Pride-related messaging for galore years, but she has not publically addressed transgender information successful women’s sports specifically.

Recently connected X, Riley Gaines called connected Gauff to speak connected nan issue. She asked Gauff, "Should women's sports beryllium exclusive to women?"

Gaines has yet to perceive a response.

Caitlin Clark (WNBA Star)

Indiana Fever defender Caitlin Clark (22) plays against nan Connecticut Sun astatine Gainbridge Fieldhouse successful Indianapolis, Ind., connected July 22, 2026. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

WNBA superstar and Indiana Fever sharpshooter, Caitlin Clark is 1 of nan fewer athletes connected this database who has been straight asked astir nan issue.

During Clark’s 2024 question and reply arsenic "TIME" Athlete of nan Year, nan mag asked Clark astir transgender information successful women’s sports amid nan broader nationalist debate.

Clark responded, "Everybody should person nan aforesaid rights. I deliberation everybody should beryllium capable to beryllium who they are." She besides said transgender group "deserve nan aforesaid authorities and should beryllium treated pinch nan aforesaid respect arsenic anybody else."

Clark unluckily did not straight reply whether biologic males should beryllium permitted to compete successful women’s sports. It was a awesome letdown for galore conservatives & parents crossed nan country.

Many are hoping, myself included, that Cunningham will animate Clark to usage her level to thief protect women and girls successful their sports and spaces too.

Paige Bueckers (WNBA Star)

Dallas Wings defender Paige Bueckers warms up earlier a WNBA hoops crippled against nan Minnesota Lynx, Friday, May 16, 2025, successful Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard Rodriguez)

Dallas Wings prima Paige Bueckers has been very outspoken connected group justness issues and has expressed support for LGBTQ communities passim her career. However, erstwhile it comes to justness for females successful their sports, Bueckers has not publically commented connected transgender information successful women’s aliases girls’ sports.

Recently, Bueckers weighed successful connected nan deficiency of black female caput coaches successful nan WNBA saying she wants to spot "equal opportunity and nary favoritism based connected what you look like, who you like, and thing of that nature," but has not spoken up astir fairness and adjacent opportunity successful regards to men competing successful women’s sports.

Sabrina Ionescu (WNBA Star)

WNBA Champion Sabrina Ionescu has not publically stated a position connected transgender information successful women’s sports. Although she has spoken extensively astir increasing women’s hoops and expanding opportunities for female athletes.

Sha’Carri Richardson (American Track Star)

Olympic golden medalist sprinter, Sha'Carri Richardson has not publically commented connected transgender information successful women’s sports. Richardson has often spoken astir inclusion, respect, and individuality, but location is nary known connection specifically addressing antheral athletes competing successful women’s events.

I did not find immoderate question and reply aliases podcast wherever she was asked astir nan issue.

Still, soundlessness is deafening erstwhile athletes for illustration Richardson are happy to talk astir a litany of different societal issues, but person thing to opportunity astir this.

Richardson is making love a female, while reportedly identifying arsenic bisexual, according to a station from 2015 connected Twitter and Bi.org, truthful I wouldn’t beryllium shocked to spot her connected nan Megan Rapinoe side of nan governmental aisle erstwhile it comes to this issue.

Hilary Knight (Olympic Hockey)

Gold medalist Hilary Knight of Team United States celebrates aft nan badge ceremonial for Women's Ice Hockey aft nan Women's Gold Medal lucifer betwixt nan United States and Canada connected time 13 of nan Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games astatine Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena connected Feb. 19, 2026, successful Milan, Italy. (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

Olympic golden badge lucky skipper Hilary Knight has publically supported transgender inclusion successful sports.

Following changes to world lucky policies and broader conversations astir eligibility rules, Knight expressed support for maintaining welcoming environments for transgender athletes while besides respecting governing assemblage decisions.

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I do find this humorous because immoderate precocious level precocious schoolhouse boys squad could subordinate nan PWHL (women's pro lucky league) and dominate.

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Knight’s comments came during media discussions surrounding argumentation changes affecting world hockey. While she was straight asked astir inclusion and argumentation decisions, she did not advocator for broad removal and alternatively emphasized inclusion and respect for each athletes.

Who will travel Sophie Cunningham’s lead?

As Cunningham has said arsenic she doubled down connected her stance, this rumor is "common sense." So, erstwhile will 1 of these salient female athletes, aliases others for illustration them, usage their level and sound to speak up for nan girls who are desperately looking for 1 of their inspirations and diversion idols to thief protect them from men who are invading their sports and spaces?