(LifeSiteNews) — The 2026 season of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) is almost halfway over, and Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever is once again the most talked about star player in the league. But over the past few games, it is her teammate, guard Sophie Cunningham, who is stealing the spotlight.

The 29-year-old Cunningham became a cultural flashpoint over her aggressive defensive style, which included a flagrant foul at a 2025 game, the famous finger-pointing memes, partnership deals, and a massive online following. Then, in a July 21 profile with ESPN, she waded into one of the most fractious debates in the sporting world.

READ: Transgender activists are losing the fight over boys playing in girls’ sports

It was a long profile, and she didn’t say much – but her offhand statement caught the attention of girls across the country. Cunningham said she wanted to “protect women’s sports, and: “I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that … 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.”

It’s always difficult to tell what will transform a public figure into a culture warrior. Swimmer Riley Gaines never planned to become a spokeswoman for the rights of women and girls in sports, but a single photograph on March 18, 2022, of Gaines standing next to the tall, strapping male “Lia” Thomas at the NCAA Women’s Swimming Championships in Atlanta propelled her into the spotlight and turned her into a political advocate. Three years later, Thomas had his swimming records revoked by the University of Pennsylvania.

LGBT activists attacked Gaines viciously, and their crusade failed miserably. They have not learned their lesson. One press headline summed up their response to Cunningham: “She is a stain on society’: Sophie Cunningham’s anti-trans comments lead to ‘disgusting’ rally and spark outrage.” At Tuesday’s game in Seattle, an opposing player showed up with a shirt reading “Trans Rights Are Human Rights.”

One basketball writer took it further:

Sophie Cunningham is like every other transphobe: a bigoted loser advocating for discriminatory policy change based on immaterial safety concerns. She is endorsing and perpetuating violence against one of the world’s most marginalized communities and it is despicable.

A flood of online comments expressed similar sentiments, heavily seasoned with profanity and exhibiting the love and tolerance we have come to expect from LGBT activists.

Asked by the press to comment further – essentially, given an opportunity to retract her statements – Cunningham was succinct. “I said what I said,” she retorted. “I think it’s kind of common sense … I think it’s really important to protect children.” About 80 percent of Americans agree with her.

The backlash backfired. As I reported this week, a couple of teenage girls showed up at Tuesday’s Seattle game with a sign thanking Cunningham for her support. Celeste Keaton, a co-owner of the Seattle Storm team melted down, screaming profanely at them and reducing one to tears by halftime (Keaton was fined by the WNBA and banned from the next five home games). Cunningham was booed by some Storm fans whenever she touched the ball.

The sportswoman responded to Keaton’s tirade on X: “Bravo to those girls for standing up for what they believe. You’ll be hearing from me soon … yay for gifts. Truly embarrassing of the co-owner. Unfortunately shows the type of leader she is.”

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Keaton inadvertently contributed to what may have turned into a growing movement. A few dozen supporters showed up to thank Cunningham in Seattle on Tuesday; now, “Sophie Night” rallies are scheduled for Democratic strongholds across the country, including Portland, Oregon, and Minneapolis. The Portland rally has been organized by Washington activist Amy Sousa; the Minneapolis rally is being spearheaded by former U.S. gymnastics national champion and founder of XX-XY Athletics Jennifer Sey.

“We were just going to do something quiet with just a couple of us, and seeing what happened to those girls (in Seattle), we just thought, ‘We can’t be quiet,’” Sousa told Fox News Digital. “I don’t want to be quiet about this. I want to stand in public solidarity with those girls. I also want to stand in public solidarity with Sophie and keep this momentum going.” Other activists, including Kara Dansky, are flying in from around the country to attend.

“The public outrage at what happened to those girls is heartening, as it should be,” Sousa added. “Now is the time to keep standing up and not keep it private, but do it loud, do it proud, and be there again as cheerleaders and in support of all women and girls.” By the end of the season, Sophie Cunningham may have become the next Riley Gaines – not because she wanted to but because LGBT activists decided to attack her for expressing a view held by the majority of Americans. In this matchup, I’m betting on Sophie.

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