Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham has spoken out after two teenage followers claimed Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton berated them as “f—ing insane” over a signal supporting the WNBA star.
Cunningham described Keaton’s actions inside Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on Tuesday evening as “truly embarrassing” while praising the younger followers for “standing up for what they believe.”
“I truly believe there is a safe space and love for EVERYBODY,” she wrote on X on Wednesday evening.
Sophie Cunningham spoke out after two teenage followers said they were verbally abused by Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton during Tuesday’s sport in Seattle. Getty Images
“Biological girls, biological boys, trans women, and trans men. Everyone is welcome at my table! You can disagree and still be kind.”
She also praised the two women, including: “Bravo to these women for standing up for what they believe. You’ll be listening to from me quickly yay for presents.
“Truly embarrassing of the co-owner. Unfortunately shows the type of leader she is.”
The two women were sitting courtside and holding a signal studying, “Thank you, Sophie for speaking up for girls!” when Keaton confronted the duo during the Storm’s 105-95 loss to the Fever.
Keaton allegedly informed the women that “Jesus loves everyone” when they voiced their support for Cunningham’s feedback opposing transgender ladies competing in ladies’s sports activities, the teenagers informed Brandi Kruse on the Undivided podcast.
The two women were holding a signal supporting Cunningham after her feedback opposing transgender ladies competing in ladies’s sports activities. AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson
They alleged Keaton then informed them, “I hope Jesus can forgive you for what sin you’ve done,” before calling them “f—– insane” while pointing at her head and including, “God can save you,” leaving one of the followers in tears.
“I’ve never been yelled at like that,” one of the women said.
“I’ve had people hate on me on the internet, but it doesn’t really affect me as much, because it’s people online. But that just caught me by surprise because I thought she was going to be nice, and she started screaming at us, and cussing at us.”
Cunningham called Keaton’s actions “truly embarrassing” and said they “show the type of leader she is” in a publish on X. @sophaller/X
The teenagers were also sporting XX-XY shirts, attire from former gymnast Jennifer Sey’s firm named after the male and feminine chromosome pairings, which says its mission is to shield ladies’s sports activities and areas.
The women also said they felt unwelcome all through the sport.
“The whole time we were kind of on edge,” one of them said. “I was like, should we put our sign down? I don’t know. The lady sitting right across from us, and the two people sitting beside us, were turning their backs and trying to sit as far away from us.”
The WNBA has since fined Keaton and suspended her from attending the Storm’s next 5 home video games following the fan confrontation, according to Fox 13 Seattle’s Lauren Helmbrecht.
The WNBA fined and suspended Keaton for 5 home video games following the incident, according to native reports. X/@BrandiKruse
Cunningham voiced support for barring transgender athletes from women’ and ladies’s sports activities in an ESPN article revealed earlier this month, saying she needs to shield feminine athletes while insisting her views do not come from a place of hate.
“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that,’” she said.
“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.”
Source hyperlink
