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Talk show host Bill Maher emerged as an unexpected defender of WNBA player Sophie Cunningham during Friday’s episode of “Real Time with Bill Maher” on HBO. Maher took aim at what he characterized as distortions of Cunningham’s recent remarks regarding female athletes and locker room safety, which had sparked significant debate in recent weeks.
Maher read Cunningham’s original statement directly on air: “I am here to extend love, but I also think that love is truth and 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 broadcaster asserted that this position aligns with mainstream American opinion and that Cunningham’s words had been fundamentally misconstrued.
The WNBA player’s comments drew a notable response from Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, who wore a “Trans Kids Belong” shirt on the sideline during a recent game. Maher questioned the logical connection between Cunningham’s statement and Reeve’s display, noting that Cunningham had never claimed transgender individuals did not belong in society.
Maher argued that Cunningham’s original intent—advocating for protections in sports and facilities—had been deliberately reframed to portray her as opposed to transgender rights more broadly, characterizing the shift as a distortion of her actual message.
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