Claim: Fans wearing XX-XY Athletics shirts who were ejected from Providence Park were also ejected from a sports bar for the same reason.

On September 6, 2026, a group of eight people attended the Portland Thorns’ NWSL match against the Washington Spirit at Providence Park. The group was wearing XX-XY Athletics apparel and shirts featuring messages such as “Save Women’s Sports,” “Woman,” and “Girls just wanna have fundamental rights.” After they took their seats, stadium security confronted them and eventually escorted all eight out of the venue.

“During our September 6 match against the Washington Spirit, individuals were removed from Providence Park for distributing unapproved materials, a violation of the Fan Experience Guidelines at the stadium,” a Thorns spokesperson told OutKick. “Our priority remains fostering a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for every fan at Providence Park.”

However, Amy Sousa, who was among those ejected from Providence Park, denied that the group had distributed any materials. She said they had instead arrived with copies of the organization’s own code of conduct and “followed it to the letter.” Sousa also accused the organization of targeting her group over the political views she expresses online.

Sousa said the group only shared the materials among themselves while seated together and had brought just five copies. “If we ‘distributed’ anything, they would have it on video,” Sousa argued. She also said the group’s XX/XY-themed clothing was not visible when they first arrived at the venue.

Regardless, the incident did not end there. KATU News reported that the group’s experience continued later that day at The Sports Bra, a Portland bar dedicated to women’s sports, where they were reportedly asked to leave because of their clothing. But did that really happen? Here’s what we found.

Our verdict: True

Sousa later uploaded a video of the encounter to social media. In the footage, a staff member can be seen asking the group to leave. After entering the sports bar, the group sat down, placed their orders, and received their food. However, about 25 minutes later, staff asked them to leave, reportedly because messages displayed on their clothing had made other patrons uncomfortable.

“There are people in here who are uncomfortable with those shirts, the staff said. “So, I am asking y’all to leave. If I have to call authorities to get you’all removed, I will. But I don’t want to do that.

“I didn’t realize it until someone [complained]… I don’t look at people’s shirts when they come in,” the staff member said when asked why the group had initially been allowed inside. “I have had complaints from customers already. I have already explained to you.”

It’s worth noting that there are no confirmed reports detailing what happened before the video recording began. The Sports Bra later released an official statement addressing the incident.

“At The Sports Bra, our mission is simple: support, promote, and empower ALL girls and women in sports,” the statement read. “To be clear: trans girls are girls, and trans women are women. Since day one, we’ve built our space to be inclusive, especially for people who don’t feel comfortable at a traditional sports bar. That includes LGBTQ+ community members. As a reminder, the T stands for trans.

“We welcome people of every identity and background, but we do not tolerate messages or conduct that demean or exclude the very community we exist to serve and celebrate.

“On Sunday, Sept. 6, a group entered wearing apparel with messages advocating for the exclusion of trans women from sports. When our team respectfully gave the group the choice to cover the anti-trans messaging or leave, they chose to leave.”

The incident later led to a protest outside The Sports Bra. Fox 12 Oregon reported that about seven demonstrators gathered across the street on September 11 to protest the bar’s treatment of patrons wearing XX-XY Athletics shirts. More than 30 counterprotesters, including members of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, gathered in support of transgender rights and LGBTQ+ spaces.

The two groups exchanged chants before the confrontation moved into a nearby Fred Meyer parking lot. Trans-rights activists accused right-wing figure Thomas Allen and people accompanying him of using pepper spray and entering the store with weapons. Portland police responded at around 5:45 p.m. and investigated two reports involving an irritant spray. However, officers made no arrests, saying they lacked probable cause, and reported no injuries.

The Sports Bra subsequently reaffirmed that while people are free to express their views publicly, messages or conduct it considers exclusionary or demeaning are not permitted inside the bar.

Our fact-checking sources:

• Outkick, September 7, 2026. Fans disagree with Portland Thorns over reason for ejection in XX-XY apparel dispute: ‘They are lying’
• Amy E. Sousa, September 7, 2026. X Post
• The Sports Bra Portland, September 7, 2026. Instagram post
• All Out Soccer, September 8, 2026. NWSL fans ejected while wearing XX-XY shirts as transgender debate spills over
• KATU News, September 8, 2026. Group wearing ‘XX-XY’ shirts kicked out of Portland soccer match and sports bar
• Fox 12 Oregon, September 14, 2026. Protest outside The Sports Bra bar in Portland sparks clashes, police response