At Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on October 17, 2026, in San Francisco, activists supporting women's sports, including former gymnast Jennifer Sey, experienced significant verbal harassment from fellow fans. Sey, who is the founder and CEO of XX-XY Athletics, attended the game with friends wearing T-shirts featuring the phrase "XX-XY." This prompted aggressive reactions from nearby fans, leading to a heated exchange.
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Initially, Sey described the atmosphere as friendly but indicated that tensions escalated as the game progressed. One fan across the aisle was reportedly filming Sey and her group while pointing and gesturing at them in an aggressive manner. Video footage captured this individual alerting security about Sey's group, whom they viewed as instigators because of their attire.
Security intervened following complaints from other fans. Sey recounted that while they were approached by security, the reaction from surrounding fans intensified, with hostile comments directed at her and her group as they made their way up the aisles.
During their encounter with security, Sey noted that they were warned not to display their shirts in a manner that might antagonize other fans. Although the security personnel acknowledged that their shirts did not violate the Fan Code of Conduct, they ultimately offered to escort Sey's group for their safety due to the hostile environment.
Previously this season, other women wearing similar shirts have also faced adverse treatment at WNBA games, including threats of ejection and verbal attacks. Sey criticized the league for fostering an environment where fans expressing support for women's sports are subjected to hostility.