Hugh Laurie Supports Sophie Cunningham’s Views on Transgender Athletes

English actor and comedian Hugh Laurie has shared his stance on the issue of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. Known for his role in the drama series House, Laurie made his position clear in a social media post, expressing his belief that men should not compete against women.

In response to a now-deleted post by writer and trans activist Graham Linehan, Laurie wrote, “Firstly, f— off; secondly no, I don’t believe men should compete against women. I thought I’d made that pretty clear.” This response was noted by Linehan, who then quoted Laurie and mentioned WNBA star Sophie Cunningham, who shares Laurie’s views.

Laurie did not hesitate to support Cunningham, 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.” This exchange highlighted Laurie’s backing of Cunningham, who has been vocal about protecting women’s sports.

Sophie Cunningham, an athlete known for her activism in women’s sports, has faced substantial criticism after expressing that women should not compete against biological men. In an ESPN story, published in July 2026, Cunningham emphasized her desire to extend love and honesty in the conversation on this topic, seeking to protect young girls in locker rooms and sporting competitions.

Cunningham stated, “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.” She emphasized her moderate political stance, acknowledging agreements and disagreements on both sides of the issue.

Public opinion largely supports Cunningham and Laurie’s views. A New York Times poll conducted in March 2025 found that 79% of Americans believe men should be barred from competing in women’s sports.