Sophie Cunningham is stirring up controversy again after appearing to take another swipe at the transgender community.
The Indiana Fever guard attended Missouri’s homecoming football game wearing a hat that read, “No Cis Just … Woman,” seemingly extending her previous comments about transgender women beyond sports.
Cunningham has repeatedly defended excluding transgender women from women’s competitions and described her position as “common sense.”
Sophie Cunningham Lets Her Controversial Hat Do The Talking At Missouri Homecoming.
During Missouri’s homecoming game, Cunningham appeared to take another swipe at those advocating for transgender women in women’s sports.
She returned to her alma mater as a Mizzou Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, wearing a hat that read “No Cis Just … Woman,” with “woman” printed prominently across the front.
When Cunningham was announced on the field before the game, she drew even more attention to the message by pointing both fingers toward her hat.
However, she didn’t comment on the cap during her appearance at the event.
Sophie Cunningham Defends Her Position On Transgender Athletes Amid Criticism
The WNBA star has previously made controversial remarks and gestures concerning transgender people.
In July, Cunningham said she had received “a lot of negative feedback” from people who believed she hated transgender people.
“I never once said that,” she responded, explaining that she wanted to “extend love” while staying honest about her position.
Cunningham added that she wanted to protect young girls in locker rooms and sports from having to compete against people she described as “biological men.”
She doubled down the following day, telling reporters that “there is room to love everyone,” while describing her stance as “kind of common sense.”
Sophie Cunningham’s Views Align With Those Of Riley Gaines And Jennifer Sey
Cunningham’s stance on transgender athletes has also been reflected in some of her public associations.
After a July 31 game in Minnesota, the Fever guard posed for photos with Riley Gaines and Jennifer Sey, two prominent activists who have spoken against transgender women competing in women’s sports.
Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer, has become one of the most visible campaigners on the issue, while Sey has similarly criticized policies allowing transgender athletes into women’s categories.
In the picture, the WNBA star posed with a placard that read, “Sophie Thank You – A Girl Mom.” The placard also included several heart emojis.
Sophie Cunningham’s Viral Antics Put Her Back In The WNBA Spotlight
On the court, Cunningham has continued making headlines for her behavior.
During Indiana’s playoff series against the Las Vegas Aces, she was involved in a heated sequence that eventually led to A’ja Wilson confronting a courtside fan.
Wilson received a technical foul after reacting to the fan, while Cunningham later appeared to poke fun at the incident on TikTok.
The moment drew comparisons to Cunningham’s own viral interaction earlier in the season, when she dramatically pointed at Phoenix Mercury player DeWanna Bonner for roughly 22 seconds following an on-court confrontation.
Cunningham later explained that the pointing gesture dated back to her college days and wasn’t meant to provoke anyone.
Sophie Cunningham Had More Than Just Controversy To Show For Her 2026 Season
Beyond the controversy, Cunningham remained a useful rotation player for Indiana throughout the 2026 campaign.
She played in 43 regular-season games, starting three, and averaged 7.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.
Her shooting was one of the stronger parts of her season, hitting 46% of her field-goal attempts and 41.9% from three-point range.
Cunningham also featured in all three of Indiana’s playoff games, averaging 7.3 points in just over 25 minutes per contest.
The Fever’s postseason run ended with a 94-83 Game 3 loss to the Las Vegas Aces, bringing Cunningham’s season to a close.
