WNBA Fans Threatened With Ejection Over XX-XY Athletics Shirts

Kasey Thomason and her daughter Annie recalled on Monday being threatened with ejection from a WNBA game between the Indiana Fever and Atlanta Dream if they refused to cover their XX-XY Athletics shirts.

A security guard at State Farm Arena in Atlanta approached them, asking them to change their shirts in favor of a Dream T-shirt. Kasey stated the guard did not know what was offensive about the shirts but indicated someone had reported them. Annie expressed she was flabbergasted by the experience. The WNBA released a statement on Monday, acknowledging the incident and stating, "This should not have happened."

However, Annie said the statement did not make her feel better and believed such incidents would recur. The mother and daughter were attending the game to support Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who has publicly stated that girls' sports should be for girls only. A woman seated two rows ahead, wearing a "Protect Trans Kids" shirt, reportedly pointed at them and spoke to security.

Kasey wore a red, white, and blue XX-XY Athletics logo tee, while Annie wore a Riley Gaines collaborative piece featuring "XX" on the front and "For the Girls" on the back. They were offered free "Wellness Night" tees and complied with the request to cover their shirts to avoid ejection and see the end of the game.

The Atlanta Dream also issued a statement, indicating that WNBA security actions fell short of that standard and that Dream personnel were not involved in the decisions. Sophie Cunningham has clarified her stance, stating she aims to protect young girls in sports and locker rooms from competing against biological men. This incident follows a July 28 event in Seattle where two fans wearing XX-XY tees were confronted by Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton, resulting in Keaton's five-game suspension. A 2025 New York Times/Ipsos survey found 79% of Americans, including 67% of Democrats, do not believe transgender athletes should compete in women's sports.