In a twist that has sparked widespread conversation, the WNBA has acknowledged a case of overreach by arena security during a game Sunday night. A mother and daughter were wrongly cautioned for wearing t-shirts promoting women’s rights, which security deemed ‘offensive’, leading to threats of ejection.
Kasey Thomason and her 17-year-old daughter, Annie, both from Georgia, found themselves at the center of controversy at the Gateway Center Arena. As they watched the Indiana Fever clinch a tight 95-91 victory over the Atlanta Dream, the pair were approached by arena staff during overtime.
Seated just three rows from the court, the Thomasons wore shirts from XX-XY Athletics, a brand known for its advocacy in safeguarding women’s sports, for which they had shelled out a substantial $1,000 each for their prime seats.
According to reports, security informed Kasey and Annie that their clothing violated the venue’s regulations. They were given an ultimatum: either conceal their shirts with promotional gear or be ousted from the event.
Standing outside the arena post-game, Thomason expressed disbelief at the situation: ‘We did nothing,’ she asserted. ‘We were just there, no signs, no disruptions, nothing.’
Thomason claimed that another spectator wearing a ‘Protect Trans Rights’ shirt had pointed them out to security after that fan was similarly instructed to zip up a jacket over her shirt.
The WNBA have admitted that arena security were wrong to tell a mother and daughter to remove their ‘offensive’ pro-women T-shirts during a game on Sunday night
Kasey Thomason and her 17-year-old daughter Annie revealed that security at the Indiana Fever’s game against the Atlanta Dream had insisted that they remove their T-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.’
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.’
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.
Recently, 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 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
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.