English actor and comedian Hugh Laurie expressed his strong stance on transgender athletes participating in women’s sports. Laurie, widely recognized for his role in the television series House, shared his opinion on social media that men should not compete against women in sports. In response to a post by writer and trans activist Graham Linehan, Laurie stated, “Firstly, f— off; secondly no, I don’t believe men should compete against women.” This post by Laurie was in answer to Linehan’s since-deleted tweet.
Graham Linehan, who quoted Laurie’s post, challenged him to support WNBA player Sophie Cunningham. Cunningham recently voiced her opinion that men should not compete against women in sports. Laurie accepted this challenge immediately, replying, “You started it. ‘Cowardly’ to ‘f— off’ is the going rate of exchange around here. And yes, I support Sophie Cunningham. And you, some of the time.”
Sophie Cunningham, a guard for the Indiana Fever, has faced significant criticism after stating in an ESPN interview that women should not compete against biological men. Cunningham clarified her stance during the interview, saying, “I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that.’ I believe in extending love, but with love comes truth. I aim to protect young girls in sports who shouldn’t have to compete against biological men.”
Cunningham highlighted her position as more balanced, mentioning, “I’m very much in the middle. I agree with things on both sides, disagree with things on both sides. And that’s all I’ve ever said about my political beliefs. But people love to assume.”
A March 2025 New York Times poll aligns with Cunningham and Laurie’s views, revealing that 79% of Americans believe men should be restricted from competing in women’s sports.