PORTLAND, Ore. â Eight spectators wearing XX-XY Athletics apparel and shirts carrying messages including âSave Womenâs Sportsâ were removed from a Portland Thorns match at Providence Park on Sunday, September 6. Later, five members of the group were asked to leave The Sports Bra, a Portland bar centered on womenâs sports.
Amy Sousa says five people in her group were removed from a Portland women's sports bar after patrons complained that their shirts were making them "uncomfortable."
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 7, 2026
Video captures a staff member warning the group that authorities could be called if they refused to leave.
On the⌠pic.twitter.com/OLR8T3dDtW
The back-to-back incidents have sparked a dispute over fan conduct, venue rules and transgender inclusion in womenâs sports. The group says its clothing supported sex-based sporting categories, while The Sports Bra says it viewed the messaging as excluding transgender women.
What happened at the Portland Thorns match?
Amy E. Sousa was among eight men and women attending the NWSL game between the Portland Thorns and Washington Spirit.
Members of the group wore XX-XY Athletics clothing and shirts displaying messages including âSave Womenâs Sports,â âWoman,â âItâs common senseâ and âGirls just wanna have fundamental rights.â
Sousa said stadium personnel approached them roughly an hour before kickoff and maintained that the group had not caused a disturbance. Video shows members questioning staff before being escorted from Providence Park.
They were also handed notices referring to an alleged violation of the Providence Park and NWSL Fan Code of Conduct.
Why were the fans removed?
The specific rule used to justify the removal remains an important question. Reporting on the incident cited NWSL restrictions involving certain signs, symbols, words or imagery used for political campaigning or advocacy, alongside broader conduct rules.
Sousa said she was told the issue involved an allegation of transphobia. She rejects that characterization and says the shirts expressed support for biological sex-based categories in womenâs sports.
Reports said notices given to the group indicated venue officials could contact them within 72 hours regarding possible additional consequences.
Complaints reportedly began before the game
OutKick reported that local LGBT organizer Hannah Perry contacted Sousa before the match and said she had alerted Providence Park and several local and state authorities about the groupâs planned attendance.
There is no evidence that Portland or Oregon government officials directed the stadium to remove the spectators.
Thorns match drew more than 19,000 fans
The dispute unfolded during a heavily attended NWSL fixture. The Portland Thornsâ official match report listed attendance at 19,065 and confirmed Washington Spirit defeated Portland 2-1.
What happened at The Sports Bra?
After leaving Providence Park, members of the group went to The Sports Bra, an establishment dedicated to showing and promoting womenâs sports.
Sousa said they had been inside for approximately 20 minutes and had received food when staff approached. Video shows an employee telling the table that other customers were uncomfortable with the shirts and asking the group to leave.
The employee warned that authorities could be contacted if they refused. Storyful reported that five patrons were ultimately asked to leave, including one man who was reportedly wearing a plain shirt.
The numbers therefore differ between the incidents: eight people were removed from Providence Park and five were later asked to leave The Sports Bra.
The Sports Bra explains its decision
The Sports Bra said it regarded the apparel as advocating the exclusion of transgender women from womenâs sports.
According to the business, staff offered the group a choice to cover the messages or leave. The group chose to leave. The bar said its mission includes supporting transgender girls and women.
Sousa disputes that interpretation, maintaining that the clothing supported sex-based sporting categories rather than targeting transgender people.
XX-XY Athletics founder responds
Several group members wore apparel from XX-XY Athletics, founded by former Levi Strauss executive Jennifer Sey. Sey subsequently criticized the Providence Park removal and defended the messages on the clothing.
The controversy follows other cases in which off-field disputes have become part of the wider sports conversation, including the recent Naomi Osaka and Katerina Siniakova US Open controversy.
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Thorns supporters back the removal
The Rose City Riveters, a prominent Portland Thorns supporters group, publicly thanked Thorns staff and Providence Park security, characterizing the incident as involving transphobic messaging.
The competing responses underline the central disagreement: supporters of Sousa regard the shirts as advocacy for womenâs sports, while critics consider the messaging exclusionary toward transgender athletes.
Why the Portland controversy matters
The case raises a broader question for sporting organizations: when does a slogan printed on clothing become prohibited advocacy under a venueâs fan rules?
Providence Park and The Sports Bra also represent different settings. The stadium operates under sporting-event and NWSL policies, while the bar applies its own customer and inclusion standards.
Questions around supporters and venue policies are increasingly part of major sporting events, alongside interest in fixtures such as the Patriots vs. Seahawks Super Bowl rematch.
What remains unclear?
A key unanswered question is whether Providence Park, the Portland Thorns or NWSL will provide a detailed explanation identifying the specific rule applied to the eight spectators and whether further penalties will follow.
For now, the documented sequence is that eight spectators were removed from Providence Park and five were later asked to leave The Sports Bra. The characterization of their clothing â and whether the stadiumâs response was warranted under its rules â remains disputed.
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