Stephen A. Smith weighed in on the ongoing debate over transgender people participating in women’s sports. He criticized Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve for wearing a pro-transgender T-shirt at a WNBA game.
Stephen A. Smith said Cheryl Reeve’s actions hurt the WNBA’s image
Speaking on “The Stephen A. Smith Show,” the ESPN personality said Reeve’s actions could harm the WNBA’s image and divert attention from the league’s growth. Cheryl Reeve wore a T-shirt that read, “Trans Kids Belong,” during a WNBA game.
Addressing viewers, Smith emphasized that the story concerned sports, not politics. He prefaced his argument by saying, “I don’t give a damn how you feel. I’m not running from it.” Smith questioned Reeve’s choice of outfit during the Minnesota Lynx’s game against the Indiana Fever.
He linked it to Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham’s comments about transgender participation in women’s sports. She said in an ESPN interview that she wanted to “protect young girls in a locker room or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”
Smith supported that position, saying, “This is not about being anti-anything. This is about being pro-girls, pro-females, pro-women.” However, he stated that while he supports transgender people making decisions about their private lives, he does not think they should participate in women’s sports.
“How does this help the WNBA?” Smith asked while questioning the rationale behind Reeve’s choice. He also argued that the move shifted focus away from basketball, adding, “I thought a coach in the WNBA would care about the collateral impact it could potentially have on the WNBA.”
Reeve wore the T-shirt after Cunningham’s remarks about the inclusion of transgender people in women’s sports. Reeve has long supported LGBTQ+ rights.
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