ADF Warns WNBA Over 2 Fan Incidents as League Weighs Transgender Eligibility Rules
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 21
ADF Warns WNBA Over 2 Fan Incidents as League Weighs Transgender Eligibility Rules
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 21
Summary
Alliance Defending Freedom sent WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert a cautionary letter Friday after supporters of Sophie Cunningham were confronted at games in Seattle and Atlanta.
ADF said federal, state and local free-speech protections may apply, and argued possible public funding at arenas could even raise First Amendment issues, though no lawsuit has been filed.
Two teenage girls at a July 28 Seattle game wore XX-XY Athletics shirts and held pro-Cunningham signs; the WNBA later fined Storm minority owner Celeste Keaton and banned her for 5 home games.
At an Aug. 16 Atlanta game, WNBA security told a mother, her 17-year-old daughter and another fan to cover shirts or leave; the league later said the restriction was improper and the Dream said its staff were uninvolved.
ADF is pressing the league to clarify fan-expression rules and train staff equally, while also urging it to define whether WNBA eligibility is limited to biological females.