Group wearing 'XX-XY' shirts kicked out of Portland Thorns match, sports bar

Key Points:

• A Portland Thorns fan, Amy Sousa, and her group were removed from Providence Park during a match after being accused of displaying "transphobic" materials related to their clothing from XX-XY Athletics, a brand advocating sports designation based on biological sex.
• The Portland Thorns stated the removal was due to the group distributing unapproved materials, violating the stadium’s Fan Experience Guidelines, while Sousa denied any transphobic conduct and said they followed the code of conduct.
• After the match, Sousa and her group were also asked to leave The Sports Bra bar, where staff cited their apparel as making other patrons feel unsafe; the bar publicly affirmed support for transgender athletes.
• The incident occurs amid national debates over transgender women’s participation in women’s sports, with the NWSL code prohibiting discriminatory behavior based on gender identity and other factors.
• This controversy echoes past stadium bans on political symbols, such as the Iron Front flag in MLS games, highlighting ongoing tensions around fan conduct and inclusivity policies in sports venues.