Seattle Times Writer Quits After Paper Spikes Column Defending Sophie Cunningham

Matt Calkins, a sports columnist for the Seattle Times, has resigned from the newspaper after 11 years following the publication's decision to reject a column he wrote defending Sophie Cunningham, a figure associated with discussions around gender identity and sports participation. In a post on X, Calkins stated that his resignation was a personal choice and not an easy one, driven by the rejection of his work. He described the incident as part of a broader pattern of editorial decisions that he believed stifled free expression within the newsroom. The column in question, which Calkins wrote from the perspective of two female student athletes opposing competition against biological males, was among several pieces he claims were spiked. According to Calkins, the editorial process involved multiple layers of review before the final decision to not publish the piece. He explained that he submitted the draft after speaking with his editor on the morning of July 31, informing him there was no urgency to run it immediately. The editor reportedly indicated that the piece would be under consideration but not ready for publication by Sunday. By Monday night, Calkins received an email suggesting that higher-level editors might discuss the piece further. However, no feedback was provided to him. On Thursday, his editor informed him that the piece would not run because he had not disclosed its intent in advance. Calkins disputed this reasoning, arguing that if such a rule applied, the piece would have been rejected earlier rather than being reviewed by multiple editors over several days. Calkins noted that he observed similar patterns in the types of articles that were spiked. One such piece questioned whether players on the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team were truly victims of discrimination in their equal-pay lawsuit. Another addressed the topic of cancel culture in sports. A third, written shortly after the death of George Floyd, urged readers to listen to a Black basketball coach who spoke against stereotyping law enforcement. Calkins suggested that these pieces all challenged prevailing narratives within the newsroom and potentially triggered internal resistance. In addition to expressing his frustration with the editorial choices, Calkins highlighted a lack of support from colleagues and editors. Despite his long tenure at the Seattle Times, he found himself without backing from within the organization. His decision to resign was made on the spot, he said, as he felt unable to continue working under conditions that he perceived as limiting his ability to fulfill his role as a journalist. Notably, Calkins received support from former ESPN reporter Jemele Hill, who expressed solidarity with his position. She acknowledged that Calkins' columns had previously faced rejection and emphasized that unless the content was factually incorrect or failed to meet journalistic standards, the Times should have published them. Hill argued that allowing such pieces to be published, even if they sparked controversy, was preferable to suppressing dissenting viewpoints. She concluded that Calkins' resignation was understandable given the circumstances.