WNBA says fans should have been allowed to wear transgender-related shirts at Atlanta game
The league acknowledged that security personnel wrongly asked fans to cover shirts with messages about transgender participation in women's sports during a game in Atlanta.
At least three spectators were instructed by WNBA security to conceal shirts bearing messages about transgender women competing in women’s sports during Sunday’s game between the Atlanta Dream and the Indiana Fever. The league issued a statement on Monday saying the fans should have been free to wear the apparel and that the security actions should not have occurred.
Two of the shirts advocated that women’s and girls’ sports be limited to those assigned female at birth, while a third displayed support for transgender people. The WNBA has faced ongoing debate over whether transgender women should be permitted to play in the league, though no transgender player has yet competed in the WNBA. The collective bargaining agreement limits the league to women but does not specify language regarding gender identity or sex assigned at birth.
Players assigned female at birth who later identified as transgender or nonbinary have been part of the league. Fever forward Sophie Cunningham recently expressed opposition to transgender athletes competing in women’s sports, a stance that sparked small rallies and protests at Fever games in Seattle and Portland. Additionally, a minority owner of the Storm received a five-game ban after confronting fans supporting Cunningham.
The WNBA informed the Atlanta security staff that their request to cover the shirts was incorrect. The Atlanta Dream clarified that the team was not involved in the security personnel’s decisions, stating that the organization strives to maintain a safe and inclusive environment for all attendees.