Sophie Cunningham and the Indiana Fever were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, yet she continues to draw attention even during the WNBA Finals. On Saturday, the Golden State Valkyries faced the Atlanta Dream in Game 1 of the best-of-seven series. And while the matchup generated plenty of headlines, an off-court incident in the stands involving a fan and the debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports took all the attention away.

That fan was none other than Jennifer Sey, author of Levi’s Unbuttoned and Chalked Up, and founder of XX-XY Athletics, a brand that has made headlines throughout the WNBA season. Sey attended the game with several others, and a clip of her being escorted up the stairs at Chase Center by security has since gone viral on X. As she made her way through the stands, nearby fans could be heard shouting at her, with one even calling her “disgusting” over the XX-XY T-shirt she was wearing. So in an interview with OutKick, Sey has now broken her silence on the harassment she faced at Ballhalla.

“There was a woman across the aisle who was pointing at us aggressively, giving us the finger,” Sey recalled. “She was clearly filming us. I’m not sure what she thought we were doing wrong. What we were doing wrong is wearing a shirt, and I think she assumed she could get us kicked out, and I have to say, to security’s credit, they did not kick us out. But what did happen is, at first, she was escorted out, and we were like, ‘Oh, no, please. She got kicked out. The worm has turned.’ She did not get kicked out. She was scolded, I think, for being very aggressive and rude to us and giving us the finger.”

“She came back to her seat, and then we were pointed at by security, and we were led out. We were told, ‘You have to come with us,’ and we were walking up the stairs, and as we were walking up the stairs, everybody was giving us the finger, telling us they hoped that we’d d*e and that we’re horrible, disgusting people… And then the (security guy) seemed sort of confounded.”

“He told us, ‘You’re instigating,’ or ‘We’re being told you’re instigating because of the shirts,’ and we kind of were like, ‘Well, do we have to do anything? And he was like, ‘Just don’t hold them up,’ and we said, ‘But we’re wearing them,’ and he just walked us back down to our seats and then offered us an escort out because the people around us at that point were so agitated that I think he thought it might not be safe. And to be honest, they were definitely very agitated as we were leaving, but they didn’t do anything,” she further added.

The XX-XY shirt was no ordinary piece of clothing. Since July, it has become a talking point in the WNBA, putting Sey and her brand at the center of a much bigger debate.

How XX-XY Athletics Became a Flashpoint in the WNBA’s Transgender Debate

It all began on July 21, when Sophie Cunningham opened up about protecting “young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men” during an interview with ESPN. Her comments on transgender athletes in women’s sports quickly sparked one of the biggest off-court debates of the WNBA season. But the reaction soon spilled beyond social media.

Rallies began appearing outside Indiana Fever games, with some fans voicing support for Cunningham and others protesting her stance. The tension ultimately made its way into arenas, where Cunningham was booed by some fans and greeted with banners criticizing her. Supporters countered with their own messages backing the veteran guard. However, one of the most visible ways fans showed their support was by wearing XX-XY Athletics T-shirts. The brand’s name references the XX and XY chromosome patterns commonly associated with biological sex. So the shirts soon became a statement in the ongoing debate over transgender participation in women’s sports.

The T-shirts ended up becoming so controversial that during a game between the Atlanta Dream and the Indiana Fever on August 16, two fans were told to cover their shirts or face ejection. In the same month, Google searches for XX-XY Athletics were up more than 5,000% as the brand also saw a massive surge in its sales.

But after weeks of heated discussion, the debate had begun to quiet down. Sey’s appearance at Ballhalla, however, has brought the issue back into the spotlight, putting the XX-XY Athletics shirts and the debate surrounding them back in focus.

Still, away from all the noise in the stands, the Golden State Valkyries had their own headline to make on the court as they opened the Finals with a hard-fought win over Atlanta, moving one step closer to a championship.

Golden State Valkyries End Atlanta Dream’s Cinderella Run

While the incident grabbed attention off the court, the Golden State Valkyries had business to take care of on it. They handed the Atlanta Dream their first loss of the postseason, securing a 68-64 win in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals and putting an end to Atlanta’s perfect 5-0 playoff run.

The Dream looked in control early, taking a 22-14 lead in the first quarter. However, Golden State responded with a dominant second quarter, outscoring Atlanta 28-17 to take control of the game. The Valkyries then held the Dream to just eight points in the fourth quarter to seal the win.

Gabby Williams led the way with 26 points, four rebounds, and two assists, delivering a standout performance on the biggest stage. Her 26 points now also rank as the fourth-highest total by a player in their WNBA Finals debut.

Atlanta, meanwhile, struggled to find consistent offense when it mattered most. This loss also extended the Dream’s troubling Finals record. Having never won a game in the championship series, they are now on a 10-game Finals losing streak dating back to 2010.

So with Game 2 set for October 19 at Chase Center, the Dream will need to respond quickly to avoid falling further behind.