Liberty's Stewart asks for 'safe space' amid rallies about transgender sports participation - ESPN

NEW YORK — New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart said she has always seen the WNBA as an inclusive place that has served as a safe space for both its fans and the players. That's been challenged lately.

The WNBA has been the subject of recent debates on whether transgender women — people assigned male at birth who transition to align with their gender identity — should be allowed to participate in the league. There has never been such a player in the WNBA.

Although the league's collective bargaining agreement says the WNBA is restricted to women, it contains no more specific language about gender identity or sex assigned at birth.

There have been small rallies and protests outside Indiana Fever games after the issue came to a head when Sophie Cunningham of the Fever said in an ESPN profile published last month that she was opposed to transgender girls and women competing in girls' and women's sports. There are rallies planned before the Liberty face the Fever on Saturday night in Brooklyn.

«Knowing that rallies are happening on both sides shows the platform that the W has and the stunts for attention are just continuing to try and ride the wave that we have,» Stewart told a small group of reporters Saturday morning. «I want Liberty fans and even Indy fans that are going to come here tonight to be able to have this arena be a safe space.»

At least three fans were asked by WNBA security personnel to cover shirts that had messages about transgender women participating in women's sports during last Sunday's game at Atlanta between the Dream and the Fever. The league later said the fans should have been free to wear those shirts.

Stewart said Liberty fans specifically, but WNBA fans in general, come to games because «they can