At Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, a dispute over anti-trans messages in the stands drew a response from nearby fans and arena security. Five people wearing XX-XY Athletics shirts were seated near Valkyries fan Ryan, who later displayed a “Trans Lives Matter” sign with a companion. The Valkyries beat the Atlanta Dream 68-64.
A Confrontation Unfolds Mid-Game
Ryan, who uses they/them pronouns, told SFGATE that the protesters had taunted a visibly trans person nearby. Ryan said they recorded the group and made a “Trans Lives Matter” sign with their companion to show support. “I knew what the right thing to do was,” Ryan said. As arena security began escorting them, Ryan raised the sign; they said the crowd’s boos turned to cheers and that they felt supported by Valkyries fans.
Separately, as reported by USA TODAY, a person appearing to be game security told the XX-XY group, “Their complaint is you guys are antagonizing them … with your shirts pointed in their direction.” Jennifer Sey, who founded XX-XY Athletics and was among the five protesters at the game, said her group was scolded for antagonizing other fans with its shirts but was allowed to return to its seats. Both the WNBA and the Valkyries declined to comment to USA TODAY about what happened.
Who Is Behind the XX-XY Shirts
XX-XY Athletics was founded by Sey, a former gymnast and former Levi Strauss chief marketing officer, per USA TODAY's reporting. The organization describes transgender identity as a lie, has created a fund for athletes who oppose trans participation in sports, and donates to anti-trans organizations, according to the seed reporting. Sey has also posted that her crew received death threats, and she said she plans to attend Game 4 of the Finals in Atlanta on Saturday.
The WNBA's published Fan Code of Conduct states that obscene or indecent messages on signs or clothing are not permitted, and the league says violations can result in ejection without a refund or being barred from future games, according to the WNBA Fan Code of Conduct. Even so, the league does not currently roster any transgender athletes, the San Francisco Chronicle reported, and the Guardian's reporting similarly notes there are no trans women in the WNBA.
What the Rules Say—and Who Enforces Them
The WNBA Fan Code of Conduct cited above bars obscene or indecent messages on signs or clothing; the cited language does not set out a separate rule for political messages. The Golden State Valkyries’ 2025 season-ticket terms describe a shared conduct policy involving the WNBA, the team and Chase Center, and say arena staff are trained to intervene when necessary. That policy description does not establish why staff acted during the Finals game, according to the Golden State Valkyries’ season-ticket terms.
A Pattern Playing Out Across the League
This isn't an isolated flashpoint. At an Atlanta Dream game in mid-August, security told two women wearing XX-XY shirts and a trans-supportive shirt wearer to cover up, and the WNBA later said that should not have happened, according to USA TODAY. XX-XY supporters have also gathered outside Indiana Fever games with signs calling to protect girls' sports, as detailed by the Guardian. In Portland, a sports bar asked a group wearing the shirts to leave under its policy against messaging targeting the community, the same Guardian report noted, while organizers in New York held a counter-rally supporting trans rights after Turning Point USA planned a pro-Sophie Cunningham rally outside a Liberty game.
Indiana Fever role player Sophie Cunningham has said, per her ESPN profile, that she wants to protect young girls from playing sports against biological men. Valkyries star Gabby Williams has taken the opposite stance, saying she would welcome a trans athlete on her team or against it, a quote first reported by SFist. Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase has said women and girls should be able to play, “and that includes trans women,” according to the same SFist report.
Outside Chase Center, a Poster Campaign
Before the Finals, in August, anti-trans protesters had already appeared outside Chase Center ahead of a Valkyries game against the Minnesota Lynx, demanding the WNBA allow XX-XY shirts without ejection or being told to cover them. Arne Johnson, a volunteer with Trans Kids Belong, had planned an impromptu rally to thank Nakase and Williams, but scrapped the rally in favor of distributing posters instead, per SFist's reporting. Johnson's organizers printed 1,000 posters thanking the two and handed out all of them within 40 minutes, SFist reported, and Valkyries fans used the posters to counterprotest the anti-trans group.
The Guardian's reporting places this response within a broader trend, noting the issue of trans athletes has become increasingly divisive among WNBA supporters in recent weeks and that the August rally outside Chase Center was described as the first such demonstration outside a WNBA game without Cunningham playing, per Yardbarker's account.
Kanter Freedom's Planned Finals Appearance
Former NBA player and anti-trans activist Enes Kanter Freedom has said he plans to attend Game 3 of the Finals, set for Wednesday in Atlanta, as part of his ongoing protest, according to the Chronicle. Kanter Freedom previously wore a shirt reading “Woman. Noun. Adult human female.” at a Chicago Sky–Indiana Fever game, where he argued with Natasha Cloud during the game and was ejected from the stands, per the seed reporting. He has also claimed he would identify as a woman to challenge what he called unclear WNBA player eligibility rules. Both the Dream and the WNBA declined to comment on his expected attendance, The Athletic reported.
Games 3 and 4 of the Finals are scheduled to be played in Atlanta, following Games 1 and 2 at Chase Center on October 17 and October 19, 2026, respectively. The Valkyries and Dream also played a Pride Night game at Chase Center on June 26.
