At the Indiana Fever’s 95‑91 overtime win over the Atlanta Dream on Sunday, league security at State Farm Arena asked a mother and her 17‑year‑old daughter to cover the shirts they were wearing that supported the Fever’s stance on women’s athletics. The pair, Georgia residents Kasey Thomason and her daughter Annie, were seated courtside when a security guard approached them and said the shirts were “offensive” and that they must put on Dream shirts or be removed.
Security’s request and the league’s response
The fans were wearing XX‑XY Athletics shirts, a design that has become a symbol for those who advocate keeping biological males out of women’s sports. The shirts display the phrase “XX‑XY Athletics” and were intended to back Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who recently spoke out in favor of protecting women’s sports from biological males.
According to the fans, a nearby spectator wearing a “Protect Trans Rights” shirt complained, prompting security to intervene. The security staff did not cite State Farm Arena’s policy, which bans clothing with explicit language, profanity, or derogatory content, nor the NBA Fan Code of Conduct, which prohibits obscene or indecent messages. Instead, they simply labeled the shirts as offensive.
WNBA acknowledges the mistake
In a statement to OutKick, a WNBA spokesperson said, “The WNBA is aware of interactions at last night’s game in Atlanta in which fans were asked by league security to cover their shirts. This should not have happened.” The league’s admission marks the first public acknowledgment that its own security personnel forced paying fans to conceal apparel supporting the league’s athletes.
The incident follows a similar confrontation three weeks earlier at a Seattle Storm‑Indiana Fever game, where two teenage girls wearing the same XX‑XY Athletics gear were approached by Storm minority co‑owner Celeste Keaton. The Storm later apologized, and the WNBA fined Keaton an undisclosed amount and suspended her from attending five home games.
Broader context of the debate
The controversy reflects an ongoing national discussion about the participation of biological males in women’s sports. Sophie Cunningham’s comments earlier this season sparked a wave of public debate, prompting the WNBA to create a task force to examine the issue. League officials have described attempts to use the transgender‑athlete debate to demean or marginalize others as “bad‑faith efforts.”
While the WNBA has taken steps to address the policy side of the debate, the security incident underscores how the conversation is now spilling over into the stands, affecting ordinary fans who simply wish to support their teams.
What comes next?
OutKick has requested further comment from the WNBA regarding the specific policy cited by security, whether an investigation is underway, and what steps will be taken to prevent similar incidents. The league’s acknowledgment that the action was inappropriate suggests a review may be forthcoming.
For fans and families attending future games, the incident serves as a reminder that arena policies and league enforcement can intersect with broader cultural debates. As the discussion over women’s sports continues, both league officials and security personnel will likely face increased scrutiny over how they balance venue rules with the constitutional right of individuals to express their views.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
