Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham has dismissed intense online backlash as “honestly psychotic” during a recent episode of her podcast, *No Hesitation*. Cunningham, who became one of the WNBA’s most polarizing figures this summer by opposing transgender women in women’s sports, stated she is not losing sleep over the vitriol. She characterized her stance as “common sense” and revealed that she has shopped a “tell-all” book, signaling her intention to remain vocal despite the controversy.
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The controversy has transformed Cunningham into the WNBA’s dominant social media presence, outpacing even star rookie Caitlin Clark. According to Instagram data analysis by Brendan Kaminsky, Cunningham averaged 518,000 engagements per post this season, a figure 2.4 times higher than Clark’s. This surge in visibility has amplified both support and hostility, cementing her status as a lightning rod for debates surrounding gender identity in professional athletics.
The intensity of the online harassment has escalated to physical safety concerns, prompting Cunningham to hire round-the-clock security personnel to travel with her. She previously disclosed that the FBI is monitoring approximately 20 of her stalkers, a revelation that underscores the severe personal risks associated with her public platform. Cunningham’s decision to maintain her stance while managing high-level security highlights the unprecedented intersection of social media influence and player safety in modern sports.
Source: Yahoo Sports
