Sophie Cunningham Shows the WNBA Isn’t Prepared to Handle Astroturfed, Anti-Trans Protests

After allegedly taking two transphobes to task, one of the co-owners of the Seattle Storm has been fined and suspended from attending the WNBA team’s next five home games. On Tuesday, anti-trans protestors staged a rally both inside and outside of the Climate Pledge Arena in support of Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who recently made anti-trans comments in an ESPN profile, referring to trans women as “biological men” and claiming that she wanted to “protect young girls in a locker room.” Though the rally outside was sparsely attended — reportedly only drawing a few dozen people at most — the protest continued inside the arena during the Storm’s game against the Fever, with two teenage courtside attendees holding a sign that said “Thank you Sophie for speaking up for girls,” and wearing T-shirts advertising the anti-trans organization XX-XY Athletics. It’s worth noting that, per right-wing influencer Brandi Kruse, who was one of the organizers of the rally, the girls’ seats were $1,300 a piece, and paid for by “a generous donor” — a potential astroturfing red flag. (See also: the recent failed attempt to get an anti-trans sports referendum on the ballot in Maine, which was reportedly bankrolled by GOP megadonor Richard Uihlein, who lives in Illinois.) Astroturfing as a practice refers to the use of external funding and support to simulate the appearance of a grassroots movement.In a video with the courtside protestors posted by Kruse, the girls claimed that a woman yelled at them for holding up the signs and called them “f**king insane.” Kruse identified the woman who allegedly yelled at them as Celeste Keaton; according to The Sporting News, she is the wife of fellow Storm co-owner Lisa Brummel. Per The Seattle Times, the WNBA has fined Keaton an undisclosed amount and suspended her from attending the team’s next five home games.Last night, @seattlestorm co-owner Celeste Keaton cursed out two teen girls for wearing @xx_xya