English actor and comedian Hugh Laurie recently shared his perspective on transgender athletes participating in women’s sports, a view that may not sit well with many in Hollywood. Laurie, celebrated for his role in the drama series House, conveyed his stance clearly through a social media post.

He stated bluntly, “Firstly, f— off; secondly no, I don’t believe men should compete against women.” This was in response to a now-deleted post on social media by writer and trans activist Graham Linehan.

“Cowardly to ‘f— off’ is the going rate of exchange around here,” Laurie said. He added, “And yes, I support Sophie Cunningham. And you, some of the time.”

Linehan had challenged Laurie to publicly support WNBA star Sophie Cunningham, who also voiced that she did not believe men should compete in women’s sports. Laurie did not hesitate to confirm his support for Cunningham.

Cunningham faced backlash after stating in an ESPN interview that she believes women should not have to compete against biological men. She clarified, “I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans…[but] 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.”

The majority of Americans share Cunningham’s and Laurie’s view. A New York Times poll conducted in March 2025 showed that 79% of Americans believe men should be barred from competing in women’s sports.