Laura (Espenmiller) North

As a reminder... Sophie Cunningham did not start this fire. She did not call a press conference to launch a campaign against transgender athletes. She was questioned by ESPN writer Hallie Grossman about her beliefs and confronted with the accusation that she “hated” transgender people. She never said that. At that point, she had every right to correct the record. She explained that does not hate anyone. She also made clear that she believes female athletes deserve protected locker rooms and sex-based competition. Sophie Cunningham was not manufacturing a controversy; she was simply correcting a false characterization of her views. Once a journalist or critic publicly attaches an inflammatory position to someone... especially an accusation of hatred... that person is entitled to answer plainly, clarify what they actually believe and defend the distinction between disagreement and animosity. Sophie did not light the match. She was handed a fire someone else had already started and told to either remain silent or allow herself to be misrepresented. She chose to speak for herself.