Sophie Cunningham Wants to Move On. JD Vance Has a Different Message.

Vice President JD Vance voiced his support for Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, the WNBA player who said she wanted to protect girls’ locker rooms and that girls should not have to play against men in sports.

Fox News host Laura Ingraham asked Vance if he had been keeping up with Cunningham’s comments.

“Sometimes when you’re courageous in this country, some of the worst people in the world try to attack you,” Vance said. “What I would tell Sophie and anybody else is, keep speaking your mind.”

Vance’s comments came amid continued debate surrounding Cunningham’s comments to ESPN, which drew both criticism from transgender-rights activists and support from fans who agreed with her position on women’s sports. 

Hours before Vance’s interview aired Wednesday, Cunningham signaled her desire to move on from the “distraction.”

“I’m going to let people just do the speaking for themselves, but for me, I want to get back to basketball,” she said Wednesday. “It’s always been about basketball. That interview happened in [March]. I just want to make sure that the focus stays where it should because people are playing at such a high level.” 

Sophie Cunningham: ‘I Want to Protect Young Girls’

Cunningham originally made her comments about transgender athletes to ESPN in March, even though the article wasn’t published until July 21.

“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that,'” Cunningham said in March. “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.”

Among those showing support for Cunningham was a group of fans in Seattle, who organized a rally outside Climate Pledge Arena before the Fever faced the Seattle Storm. 

During the ensuing game, two young girls who attended the rally—and wore shirts advocating against men in women’s sports—were cussed out by Seattle Storm co-owner, Celeste Keaton. The girls were holding signs that said, “We love you Sophie,” and “Thank you Sophie for speaking up for girls.”

Shortly after, Keaton was fined by the WNBA and suspended for five games for violating league conduct policies.

JD Vance: ‘I Would Tell Sophie, Keep Going’

Vance expressed encouragement for the Fever shooting guard during Wednesday’s interview with Ingraham.

“You actually are inspiring a dozen people for every person that criticizes you,” he said. “And we cannot take our country back, we cannot save the United States of America unless you have people of courage who are speaking their mind.”

He concluded:

“The thing about courage, Laura, is it’s contagious. When you see one person–even if they have the mob come after them–one person speak their mind in a courageous and honest way, it inspires a lot of people to do the same. So, I would tell Sophie, keep going.”