WNBA Almost Apologizes After Security Forced Fans to Cover XX-XY Shirts

The WNBA is caught in a firestorm where two sides are fighting over what its eligibility rules should be.

WNBA Almost Apologizes After Security Forced Fans to Cover XX-XY Shirts

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert (Image via W Core/X)

Over the past few weeks, the WNBA has been caught in a storm that threatens major disruptions to how it operates. Its eligibility criteria have become a controversial topic, with various activists joining in to add to the discourse.

It all started when Sophie Cunningham stated in an interview with ESPN that she wants to save women’s sports from men. After the article came out, a Seattle Storm minority owner admonished two teenage girls for wearing XX-XY tops and holding signs in support of the Fever star. The league had to step in and ban the owner.

Then Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve and Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams supported trans athletes. That led two former NBA players to say they wanted to play in the league.

Supporters kept showing up at games, most recently when a mother and daughter arrived at State Farm Arena in Atlanta to watch the Fever take on the Atlanta Dream.

League security asked them to cover up their XX-XY shirts, while not taking the same stance against others supporting trans athletes. Soon, this blew up in national media, and the WNBA was forced to issue a statement.

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.

Meghan L. Hall quoted WNBA’s statement

This was almost an apology from the league, as it seems they weren’t prepared for the backlash that followed. Their security must have acted on someone’s directions, even though the WNBA is trying to get on the same page.

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Dream made it clear they had nothing to do with WNBA security handling protesters

Before the WNBA was dragged into this, many felt the Atlanta Dream’s security team asked the two women to cover their XX-XY shirts. But it turns out the franchise had nothing to do with it.

Kasey and Annie Thomason wearing the XX-XY shirts at the Fever-Dream game
Kasey and Annie Thomason wearing the XX-XY shirts at the Fever-Dream game (Image via Dee Lay/X)

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.

Dream’s statement on X

This statement makes it clear that the organization did not ask its personnel to intervene in this matter. In fact, the team’s pointing the blame squarely at the league may have forced them to issue the above-mentioned statement.

Many media outlets and fans had been trying to get a response from the league. Once it reached a fever pitch, the office decided to almost apologize for the incident. This situation will only get worse unless they alter their eligibility rules, which some believe can be solved by simply copying and pasting from other organizations.

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League issues statement about Sophie Cunningham’s name being banned from subreddit

Another controversy brewing before this T-shirt incident blew up in the media was when some fans noticed how the r/WNBA subreddit banned the use of Sophie Cunningham’s name or any mention of her.

Usually, subreddits like this are organized by the league in question. That pushed USA Today’s Meghan L. Hall to reach out to the league for a response to this action.

The WNBA does not moderate or have any affiliation with the r/WNBA subreddit.

Meghan L. Hall quoted the league’s statement

This means whoever runs the subreddit is not officially associated with the league. Therefore, the moderator of that group is choosing to ban any mention of Cunningham of their own volition.

The just-turned 30-year-old guard’s actions and statements have led to a lot of discourse around the league. But a fan-run subreddit banning her name or mention proves the WNBA has broken factions fighting for each other’s space.

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