Fever Game Shirt Controversy
Mother, daughter faced ejection threat at Indiana Fever game over XX-XY shirts.
A mother and daughter were threatened with ejection from an Indiana Fever WNBA game simply for wearing T-shirts. Kasey Thomason and her daughter Annie were told by a security guard to change their XX-XY Athletics shirts or leave the arena, according to WGME and Fox17.
XX-XY Athletics is a brand that promotes the message that biological men should not compete in women's sports. The shirts display only the chromosomes that define biological sex — a statement some arena staff apparently found objectionable. The pair ultimately stayed at the game after other fans rallied around them in support, ABC6 On Your Side reported.
Security Guard Ordered Them to Change or Leave
Kasey Thomason said a security guard approached her and Annie directly during the game. The guard told them their shirts were a problem and gave them a clear choice: change clothes or be removed from the building. No specific arena policy was cited to explain why the shirts were considered a violation, according to WLOS.
The Thomasons refused to back down. Rather than leave or change, they stayed in their seats. Fellow fans nearby reportedly expressed support for the shirts and stood by the mother and daughter, according to CBS Austin. The security guard did not follow through with the ejection threat.
Sophie Cunningham Sparked the XX-XY Conversation in the WNBA
The incident did not happen in a vacuum. Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham had publicly stated that biological men should not compete in women's sports. She also said that Title IX and women's rights must be protected, according to News4 San Antonio.
Cunningham's comments drew national attention and helped boost the XX-XY Athletics brand. Many fans began wearing the brand's shirts to WNBA games as a show of support for Cunningham's position. The Thomasons were among those fans when the confrontation took place, Local 12 reported.
Arena Response Raises Free Speech and Fan Rights Questions
The attempted ejection drew quick criticism online. Many people argued that a T-shirt referencing basic biology should not be grounds for removal from a public sporting event. The shirts carry no explicit language or images — only the letters XX and XY, according to Idaho News.
Critics say the incident shows a double standard in how sports venues apply their conduct rules. Supporters of the Thomasons questioned why chromosomes printed on a shirt could be treated as a punishable offense. The Indiana Fever and the arena had not issued a formal public statement on the incident, News3LV reported.
Fan Backlash Turns Into a Show of Support
Rather than creating an isolated moment of conflict, the security confrontation appeared to backfire. Fans around the Thomasons expressed that they loved the shirts and showed solidarity. The reaction inside the arena mirrored a broader national debate over transgender athletes in women's sports, according to WGXA.
XX-XY Athletics has grown in visibility as that debate has intensified across college and professional sports. The brand's shirts have appeared at multiple sporting events in recent months. The Thomason incident is now one of the most high-profile examples of fans facing pressure over the brand's message, Bakersfield Now reported.
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