OutKick Hires Columnist Who Quit Seattle Paper Over Spiked Sophie Cunningham Article

(Photos Via: KOMO News on YouTube and @Sophie_Cham on Instagram)

It took writer Matt Calkins less than a month to find another gig, after he quit The Seattle Times over a spiked article defending WNBA star Sophie Cunningham against claims of “transphobic” behavior.

Outkick on Wednesday announced it signed Culkin to a deal making him its new sports and culture columnist, right on the heels of his much-covered exit from his old paper.

“While my decision to leave The Seattle Times wasn’t easy, I’m beyond excited to start this new chapter at OutKick,” Calkins said in a statement. “I’ve always admired OutKick’s coverage and its willingness to never shy away from any topic.”

The hiring appears to be a better fit for Calkins, considering OutKick is owned and operated by Fox News — an outlet that has firmly sided with Cunningham after she said she does not believe biological boys who have transitioned should be allowed to play against girl athletes.

Those comments — made during a July interview with ESPN — thrust Cunningham into the center of a media frenzy and made her a target of many on the left, as well as some members of her own league. Cunningham has appeared to shrug off the criticism, though, like when she was recorded belting out a country tune while dancing on a bar top last month.

Calkins was one writer who dared to support Cunningham’s position in a major paper by penning an article titled “Agreeing with Sophie Cunningham’s stance doesn’t make you transphobic.” The column was rejected by Calkins’ editors.

He resigned right after, explaining in a Substack post that it may seem like an “emotional decision,” but it was the final straw after several of his columns were killed during his 11-year run at the paper.

“One was a piece questioning whether players for the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team were really the victims of discrimination in their equal-pay lawsuit. Another was a more general column on cancel culture in sports,” he wrote. “The last, written shortly after George Floyd’s death, implored people to listen to state-champion basketball coach Mike Bethea — a black man urging the public not to stereotype cops. The common theme? All of these challenged prevailing newsroom narratives and likely would have triggered the outrage mob.”

While those posts were spiked in Seattle, Culkins’ new outlet said it is looking forward to him churning out more column on hot button issues.

“Authenticity and common sense are at the heart of what we do at OutKick and are qualities FOX News Digital looks for when hiring new talent,” FOX News Digital Editorial EVP Tommy Firth said. “Calkins clearly embodies both, and he will be a great addition to our team.”

Calkins wrote he was “scared sh*tless” after he resigned last month. He can now rest a bit easier.

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