WNBPA issues statement embracing diversity and inclusion amid trans athlete debate in women's sports

Transgender activists confront and harass women's sports advocates during a rally in Minneapolis. XX-XY Athletics founder Jennifer Sey and ambassador Kendall Kotzmacher detail how counter-protesters screamed in their faces, tore their signs, and followed them to their cars outside the Target Center. The group was there to support WNBA star Sophie Cunningham for advocating for sex-protected spaces in female sports.

The Women's National Basketball Players Association issued a statement on Friday praising the "different lived experiences, cultures, lifestyles, and opinions" in the wake of the trans-athlete debate reaching the league.

"To everyone who loves this game: The WNBPA represents 200+ individual people with different lived experiences, cultures, lifestyles, and opinions. We embrace justice , equity, diversity, and inclusion. Those are the values that unite this Union and allow it to protect women's sports while creating transformational change," the WNBPA said in its statement.

"Hate, abuse, and demonization of any person or group of people, including transgender people, only fuel fear, division, and harm. We will continue to have hard conversations. But we will not be used as political pawns.

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Sophie Cunningham signs autographs for fans ahead of the Indiana Fever's game against the Portland Fever on Friday. (Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images)

Support the Players. Support the Fans. At games, notify security if you witness hateful, violent, or abusive behavior. Online, report abusive posts and drown out the bots and bad actors. At home, tell your elected officials to strengthen Title IX."

The statement comes more than two weeks after a quote from Sophie Cunningham was