Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve made a strong statement on Sunday. While coaching against the Indiana Fever, Reeve wore a shirt that read ‘Trans Kids Belong’ beneath her blazer. This was during a home game at Target Center.

Before the game, Reeve addressed the ongoing debate about transgender athletes, expressing her view that ‘we need to protect trans kids’ and stated, ‘every kid has a right to sports.’ Her stance appeared as a direct counter to Sophie Cunningham’s recent comments on the matter. Cunningham, a player criticized for saying that women and girls should not have to compete against biological men, had also clarified that she does not express hatred towards transgender individuals. She emphasized the need to protect young girls in sports environments.

Reeve’s choice of attire seemed to convey a message about inclusion. However, some viewed it as a misrepresentation of Cunningham’s position. Cunningham was not arguing for exclusion but for maintaining separate spaces in girls’ sports.

Reeve acknowledged earlier that the issue becomes more complicated post-puberty, calling for common ground rather than exclusion. Despite this, the shirt she wore sent a simplified message which some believed did not reflect Cunningham’s actual stance.

The media attempted to question Reeve about her decision, but Fox News Digital and OutKick were denied credentials to the game. Their request was submitted ahead of the Lynx’s deadline but was not approved for unspecified reasons. After the denial, some celebrated on social media, arguing that local reporters should have priority access. Yet, these media outlets have a history of covering significant sporting events like the NBA Finals without being day-to-day beat reporters.

This incident raised questions about media access policies and the balance between sports and socio-political statements. Reeve’s decision to wear the shirt during a game emphasized her stance on a contentious social issue rather than focusing solely on basketball. It prompted discussions on whether the platform of a WNBA game is suitable for such messages.

The Lynx did not respond when asked if the shirt was meant as a direct response to Cunningham. While Reeve had the right to express herself, the manner in how media credentials were handled reflected certain biases in accepting or denying access based on potential questions outside of the sport.