Jennifer Sey, the chief executive officer of XX-XY Athletics, posed a question to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert after legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom warned that the league could be opening itself up to legal action over some of its recent moves.
ADF sent a letter to Engelbert, accusing her of silencing fans’ voices after two separate incidents in recent weeks. Fans wearing XX-XY Athletics shirts in support of Sophie Cunningham at the Indiana Fever’s July 28 game against the Seattle Storm at Climate Pledge Arena were allegedly confronted by Seattle Storm minority owner Celeste Keaton. During the Fever’s game against the Atlanta Dream on Aug. 16, a mother and daughter wearing XX-XY Athletics shirts were allegedly asked by security to cover the shirts or leave.
XX-XY is a clothing brand focused on protecting the integrity of women’s sports.
Former gymnast Jennifer Sey, who was the 1986 U.S. All-Around National Champion, questioned Engelbert and her organization.
“Are all welcome at @WNBA games Commissioner Engelbert, or no?” she tweeted.
Alliance Defending Freedom sent a letter to Engelbert threatening legal action if “censoring” continued:
“The WNBA claims to stand for women, but recent incidents show that fans are being intimidated and silenced for advocating for women’s sports. The WNBA and its partners should not censor peaceful expressions supporting fairness in women’s sports. The league has betrayed its commitment to equality, women, and open dialogue by embracing the lie of gender ideology. Furthermore, the WNBA and its partners may have exposed themselves to legal liability by censoring fans’ viewpoints. We’re calling on the WNBA to commit to not discriminate against fans because of their beliefs and to adopt policies that allow a peaceful expression of diverse views at its games,” said the statement.
The debate over trans athletes in women’s sports was fueled by Cunningham’s comments in an ESPN feature in July.
Since then, former NBA players Enes Kanter and Royce White have said they want to join the WNBA, claiming there’s nothing in the league’s rules that prevents them from being eligible for the draft.
Sophie Cunningham calls for new leadershipIn an interview on Wednesday with USA Today, Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham said the league needed bolder leadership:
“You do have to have a person in power who is bold, who is confident, who wants the best for the players and not maybe for themselves all the time,” Cunningham told USA Today. “So I do feel like, as a whole, that could be a position that’s maybe open at the end of the year, but that’s not my call.”
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