The Indiana Fever are coming back into town to play the Fire tonight, and this time things are poised to be very different.
Fans may recall the Fire soundly defeated the Fever, 100-84, when they hosted Indiana at the Moda Center on May 31. That game saw a rare, poor performance from Fever guard Caitlin Clark, and was an impetus of sorts for weeks of conversation and dissection of an intense exchange between the hoops star and her coach, Stephanie White.
But the game was also an eyebrow-raiser because the Fire’s Emily Engstler—AKA our Queen of the Blocks, who ranks fourth out of all players in the league and has led in the stat at different points this season—and the Fever’s Sophie Cunningham engaged in a little verbal back-and-forth during the match. “I don’t think you want to know what we were saying,” Engstler told reporters after the game, adding, “No one scares me—and she sure doesn’t.”
Cunningham has been a big name in the WNBA world of late, though for all the wrong reasons. While speaking to ESPN this month, Cunningham made a series of comments many have interpreted as transphobic. That included a reference to “biological men” playing in women’s sports—a phrase that GLADD characterizes as hate speech. Cunningham has, at this point, double-and-triple-downed on her statement.
The WNBA has remained silent on Cunningham’s comments. When White was asked about a rally held in support of Cunningham ahead of the team’s game against the Seattle Storm earlier this week, Fever PR stepped in and said, “Neither our organization nor Sophie had any knowledge of this demonstration and no contact with its organizers. Our only goal as a team, whether at home or away, is to win basketball games and make Fever fans for life, and we are united in that mission.”
Why does all of this matter? Why elevate these harmful comments? It’s in the title, twin: Cunningham and the Fever are coming to town, and some Fire fans aren’t happy about it.
Freelance artist Hannah Frey, 24, has attended at least five Fire games in-person this season and is one of the fans who made her feelings about Cunningham and the game known.
“I’m aware of what Sophie Cunningham has said,” she told the Mercury this week. “It seems like fans are going to show up and show their pride. I’m feeling upset about her comments, and I don’t think booing her will do much for image, but I think it’s important as a culture to set our standard here in Portland—that transphobia has no place here.”
But Frey isn’t so sure the Fire will say something directly. “They didn’t have any Pride-exclusive merch to purchase for the Pride game, and I’ve noticed other teams have had that. I also recently saw that the Seattle Storm reposted Stef Dolson’s post on their Instagram, where she wore a ‘Trans rights are human rights’ shirt—I would love to see a response like that from the Fire.”
At the end of the day, it’s all about fostering “an inclusive environment here in Portland.”
Braeden, a 29-year-old graphic designer who has attended three Fire games in person and watches the team on TV often, agrees.
“I’m feeling frustrated with Sophie’s transphobic rhetoric and with the terrible handling of it by the Fever administration,” they told the Mercury. “Transgender people are not a threat to women’s sports, we make up less than 1 percent of the population. Their argument never was and never will be about protecting women and girls.”
“I would love for the Portland Fire to clearly denounce transphobia, especially with the news of the anti-trans ‘support Sophie’ rally that’s planned. Portland is a safe haven to a ton of queer and trans individuals and there is absolutely no room for transphobia in the Fire Pit,” Braeden also said. “Last week was Portland Fire’s Pride Night and so I know they are inclusive and respectful of all identities. I’d love to see them lead the way in the WNBA for making a statement condemning transphobia.”
A group is planning to gather in support of Cunningham ahead of Friday’s game, a measure that may be countered by fans showing up in support of the transgender community (per social media comments). The Fire hasn’t issued an official comment about Cunningham or the game, but on Wednesday the team’s Instagram account posted a series of photos that, in part, encouraged fans to wear all black to Friday’s game—something that could call to mind the “Protect the dolls” movement rooted in the 1980s that is seen as a rallying cry for the protection of Black and Latina (and later all) transgender girls and women.
Oh, also, there will be some good basketball played Friday. The Fire might still be figuring things out now that Sarah Ashlee Barker is out for the season with an ACL tear, but they still have playoff potential. The team is coming off a stinging 98-83 loss to the Las Vegas Aces, and has a 11-17 record, but they’re sitting at 9th in the league (the top 8 teams make the playoffs).
If you really want to send a message of support to the Fire, throw on your black clothes and come on down to the Fire Pit at 7 pm tonight and support the team. Tickets begin at $70—for now.