English actor and comedian Hugh Laurie has openly stated his opinion on the topic of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. Laurie, renowned for his role in the drama series “House,” made his stance known through a direct social media post. He articulated that he does not agree with the idea of men competing against women in sports.
In response to a post by writer and trans activist Graham Linehan, Laurie replied, “Firstly, f— off; secondly no, I don’t believe men should compete against women. I thought I’d made that pretty clear.” This comment was posted on the social media platform X in reply to a since-deleted post.
Writer Graham Linehan responded by challenging Laurie to voice his support for WNBA star Sophie Cunningham, who has also taken a stance against men competing in women’s sports. Laurie did not hesitate to express his endorsement of Cunningham’s views. Laurie replied, “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 has faced significant criticism following her remarks on July 21 in an ESPN story where she opposed the inclusion of biological men in women’s sports. Cunningham clarified, “I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that.’ I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, 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.”
Cunningham describes her political position as balanced, stating, “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.”
According to a March 2025 New York Times poll, the majority of Americans share Cunningham and Laurie’s viewpoint. The poll found that 79% of Americans believe men should not be allowed to compete in women’s sports.
Mark Harris, a writer for OutKick, reported on Laurie’s comments and their alignment with Cunningham’s perspective.
Leave a Reply