The WNBA has acknowledged that arena security mishandled a tense courtside incident Sunday night, after a mother and daughter said they were threatened with removal from a game because staff deemed their pro-women T-shirts “offensive.”
Georgia residents Kasey Thomason and her 17-year-old daughter, Annie, were seated just three rows from the floor at Gateway Center Arena as the Indiana Fever edged the Atlanta Dream 95-91, when they say security approached them during overtime.
The pair, who said they spent $1,000 apiece on lower-level tickets, were wearing shirts made by XX-XY Athletics, a company that promotes the protection of women’s sports.
According to Thomason, security personnel told them the shirts violated arena rules and were considered “offensive,” ordering them to cover the clothing with giveaway T-shirts or risk being escorted out immediately.
“We did nothing,” Thomason said outside the venue after the final buzzer. “We were just sitting there. I didn’t make signs. I wanted to make signs, but I didn’t. I did nothing.”
Thomason also alleged that the confrontation began after another fan, who was wearing a “Protect Trans Rights” shirt, alerted security to them after that spectator had reportedly been asked to zip up a jacket over her own top.
The WNBA said arena security was wrong to tell a mother and daughter to cover or remove their pro-women T-shirts during Sunday night’s game
Kasey Thomason and her 17-year-old daughter Annie said security at the Indiana Fever vs. Atlanta Dream matchup insisted they take off or conceal their shirts
The incident comes amid the ongoing controversy surrounding Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham, who voiced support for protecting women’s sports during an ESPN interview
‘She shouldn’t have to zip up,’ Thomason added, noting that both spectators should have been allowed to wear their clothing without intervention.
Shortly after the mother and daughter duo came forward with their claims, the WNBA made a stunning admission that arena security crossed a line with their actions.
In a statement provided to OutKick, a WNBA spokesperson said: ‘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.’
Meanwhile, shortly after the WNBA’s statement, the Atlanta Dream shared their own message as they seemingly attempted to distance themselves from the drama.
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.’
Political activist Riley Gaines was among those to respond to the Dream’s post on X, writing: ‘The predictable ‘we believe in inclusivity!’ explanation for discriminating against two women who know what a woman is lol’.
The incident comes amid heightened debate around gender participation policies across the league following recent comments from Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who voiced support for protecting women’s sports during an ESPN interview.
Cunningham shared what she called her ‘common sense’ opinion with ESPN that she wanted to ‘protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.’
On Monday night, the Atlanta Dream released their own statement regarding the controversy
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The debate around transgender inclusion has dominated WNBA discourse in recent weeks
WNBA chiefs, including commissioner Cathy Engelbert, met last week to discuss the subject of transgender athletes in the league
Since then, Cunningham has been at the heart of protests and demonstrations both supporting and criticizing her, including Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton being fined and suspended after confronting and allegedly directing expletives at fans with a sign thanking Cunningham when the teams met and Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve wearing a ‘Trans kids belong’ T-shirt on the sideline in their game.
Meanwhile, political activist Gaines has been among those to throw their support behind the Fever star, recently attending an Indiana game to cheer Cunningham on.
However at the game, Gaines claims she was similarly told by a staffer to put down a sign which simply read: ‘Sophie, Thank You – A Girl Mom.’
After a debate with the staffer, which Gaines explained when speaking to OutKick, the political commentator was allowed to keep hold of the sign.
Gaines also shared a picture with Cunningham on Instagram, writing: ‘I show up for @sophie_cham because she shows up for my daughter.’
Though she didn’t comment on it, the Fever star did take time to like Gaines’ post.
Elsewhere, Caitlyn Jenner, former men’s Olympic gold medalist and transgender woman, weighed in on the transgender athlete controversy engulfing the WNBA.
Jenner, who transitioned in 2015, surprisingly backed the pair of ex-NBA players as she hit out at the league over the transgender storm.
‘XX are in, XY are out. It’s that simple,’ Jenner told Fox News this week. ‘And I think they’re doing a good job just to show the WNBA how…the hypocrisy is going on here. We have to protect women’s sports. I’ve been coming on this show for years and years. I want to protect women’s sports.’
Jenner gained fame as a US sporting hero when, then as Bruce Jenner, she won the gold medal in decathlon at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
The recent controversy comes shortly after political activist Riley Gaines claimed that a WNBA staffer told her to put down her sign which threw support behind star Sophie Cunningham
Gaines took to social media to take aim at the WNBA staffer over the matter earlier this month
She came out as transgender and transitioned in 2015, yet has since supported calls to ban transgender athletes from women’s sports.
Cunningham’s stance sparked uproar around the league, drawing both criticism and support alike. Two former NBA stars, Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, declared themselves eligible for the WNBA draft in an apparent protest.
Freedom, who played in the NBA for 11 seasons and stands at 6ft 10in, announced his plans to declare for the WNBA Draft earlier this month amid the ongoing debate surrounding transgender athlete involvement in sports.
The former hoops star, who allegedly sent a provocative letter to WNBA commissioner, has sparked widespread criticism with his divisive decision.
Meanwhile, since his statement of intent, another former NBA star, White, has followed suit, also declaring for the WNBA Draft.
The 35-year-old, who only played three games in the NBA for the Sacramento Kings, told Fox News Digital that he is now transgender and wants to join the likes of Clark and Cunningham on the court next season.
White later doubled down by posting a picture of himself wearing a wig on social media.
