- Julie Tétart, a 34-year-old transgender woman who plays for Monacoin in France's second-tier women's basketball Ligue 2, responded to a direct message from OutKick, stating she would answer any call from the WNBA but acknowledged her age and competition, saying, "you have to be realistic: I'm old, and there are far better players than me!"
- OutKick published an article criticizing the WNBA for not calling up Tétart after her dominating season in France’s second division, with its founder labeling the league as "transphobic" on X.
- Tétart has become a lightning rod for transphobic attacks on social media following her engagement with OutKick.
- The WNBA has never made a declaration on whether transgender athletes would be allowed to play, although many individual players have been supportive of the idea until Cunningham voiced her opposition.
- Cunningham, a Fever guard, stated she wants to "protect women's sports" and does not believe individuals born male should be allowed in the league, which has sparked rallies both supporting and opposing her.
- Trump has been vocally against transgender women in women's sports but has not specifically commented on Tétart or the ongoing controversy.
- OutKick's framing of the situation has placed the WNBA in a lose-lose situation, where critics are ready to attack the league regardless of its decision regarding Tétart.
- The WNBA has largely avoided controversy regarding transgender participation due to the limited number of openly transgender women seeking to play in the league.
- Cunningham's remarks have led to rallies both supporting and opposing her stance at WNBA games, with various figures publicly pushing back against her position.
Julie Tétart, a 34-year-old transgender basketball player from France, has been thrust into the spotlight following a provocative outreach from OutKick, which criticized the WNBA for not recruiting her after her impressive season in Ligue 2. Tétart expressed willingness to join the league but acknowledged her age and competition level, stating, “you have to be realistic: I'm old, and there are far better players than me!”1234511
The WNBA has not officially addressed the participation of transgender athletes, allowing players and coaches to largely sidestep the issue. However, the controversy intensified after Fever guard Cunningham's remarks about protecting women's sports, which sparked rallies both supporting and opposing her stance at WNBA games. Cunningham stated, “I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn't have to go against biological men,” leading to significant backlash from various figures, including coaches from the Minnesota Lynx and Golden State Valkyries.6712
OutKick's framing of Tétart's situation has placed the WNBA in a precarious position. If the league chooses not to pursue her, critics may label its support for transgender athletes as performative. Conversely, if it does recruit Tétart, it could be seen as compromising women's sports for political reasons. The ongoing debate continues to polarize opinions, with figures like Trump also weighing in on the matter, although he has not directly commented on Tétart's situation.8910
“OutKick's founder called the WNBA 'transphobic' on X, and Tétart has faced transphobic attacks on the platform. The league has never declared a policy on transgender athletes, but Fever guard Cunningham's remarks have sparked rallies and pushback from coaches.”
Forbes
