During the game between the Indiana Fever and Atlanta Dream on Sunday, August 16, two fans were asked by State Farm Arena security to cover up their XX-XY shirts during the overtime period.
XX-XY is not just a reference to chromosomes — these specific t-shirts were merchandise from the XX-XY brand, a company that claims to “protect women’s sports and spaces,” per the website’s mission statement. It was founded by former artistic gymnast Jennifer Sey, and is supported by athletes current and former, like Riley Gaines and the Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham.
A post describing the incident went viral on X (formerly Twitter), with more than 2 million views at the time of publication. USA TODAY, who first reported on the story, received a statement from the league regarding the fans who were wearing the XX-XY shirts, saying that they shouldn’t have been made to cover their clothing.
“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,” a league spokesperson said to USA TODAY. “This should not have happened.”
The Atlanta Dream organization put out a statement that backed up the league’s statement, as well. It read:
“The Atlanta Dream believes in creating a safe and inclusive environment for everyone. Unfortunately, at last night’s game, WNBA security took actions that fell short of that standard. At no point was Dream personnel involved in the decisions made by WNBA security.”
The Dream closed out their statement by re-sharing the official statement from the league, which read:
“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 organization’s connection to the league stems from Cunningham’s recent profile in an ESPN article that has caused controversy across the league. In the piece, Cunningham is quoted saying that she “wants to protect young girls” in the locker room by not having them compete against “biological men.”
As headlines regarding Cunningham’s statements have swirled, she has doubled down on her stance. She recently posed for photos with Sey and Gaines at a Fever game in Minnesota. Sey and Gaines have also organized anti-trans rallies outside various arenas where the Fever have played, which have gained sparse to moderate attendances.
The conversation about transgender women playing in the WNBA lurks around every corner these days, despite it never occurring in the league’s 30 years. Former NBA players Enes Freedom and Royce White (the latter of which was found guilty of abusing his ex-wife and their child) have challenged the league by saying that they will enter the WNBA Draft in 2027, claiming that they can choose to identify as women based on the perceived gender leniency of the league.
When The IX reached out to the Dream with additional questions, the Dream referred to their statement above.
The Dream next take on the Aces on Tuesday evening in Las Vegas. This story will be updated this story if more information becomes available.
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