Jennifer Sey, the founder of XX-XY Athletics, and three companions were subjected to verbal abuse and death threats during WNBA Finals Game 1. The incident occurred this past Saturday at the Chase Center in San Francisco after the group wore shirts affirming biological reality.
Death threats and security calls at the Chase Center
According to OutKick, Jennifer Sey and her friends were targeted by Golden State Valkyries fans who cursed at them and expressed hopes that the group would die. The conflict escalated when a masked fan across the aisle began filming the group and alerted security , attempting to have the women removed from the arena for their choice of attire.
Jennifer Sey reported that the security guard involved seemed confused by the complaint, which alleged that the XX-XY shirts were antagonizing other spectators. While security eventually allowed the group to return to their seats, the walk back through the concourse resulted in further hostility, including fans telling Sey to kill herself and attempting to knock her phone from her hand, as OutKick reported.
The tension at the Chase Center occurred against the backdrop of the game itself, where the Golden State Valkyries defeated the Atlanta Dream in the WNBA Finals opener. While Gabby Williams delivered a late-game performance to secure the win for the Valkyries, the atmosphere in the stands remained fractured by political confrontation.
Forced shirt changes at State Farm Arena and Seattle Storm suspensions
The harassment faced by Jennifer Sey is part of a recurring pattern of conflict involving XX-XY apparel at WNBA venues this season. Earlier in the year, a mother and daughter attending an Atlanta Dream versus Indiana Fever game at State Farm Arena were threatened with ejection unless they covered their XX-XY shirts with official Atlanta Dream merchandise.
Similar volatility erupted during a matchup between the Seattle Storm and the Indiana Fever.. In that instance, women wearing the shirts were verbally attacked by a Seattle Storm co-owner, an incident that eventually led to the owner being suspended and fined by the league .
The Sophie Cunningham controversy and the ADF's letter to the WNBA
The friction extends beyond apparel to the public comments of players and their supporters, specifically regarding Sophie Cunningham. Pro-trans activists and supporters of Cunningham have clashed in multiple cities, including Portland and Minnesota, where supporters of the athlete were reportedly harassed with slurs before an Indiana Fever game.
In response to these escalating tensions, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) sent a formal letter to the WNBA. The ADF's communication highlights concerns over how the league handles the treatment of those who support the "Save Women's Sports" movement and the protection of fans with differing viewpoints.
The WNBA's refusal to name the official behind the Dream security incident
A significant point of contention remains the WNBA's lack of transparency regarding a previous security incident involving fan attire. While the Atlanta Dream organization attributed a specific security conflict to league-level directives, the WNBA has declined to identify the individual responsible for the decision.
This silence from the WNBA league office has fueled claims from critics that the organization is prioritizing political narrativves over consistent fan conduct policies. Without a clear accounting of who authorizes the removal or censorship of fans, the league remains vulnerable to accusations of biased enforcement.
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