On Saturday, several female athletes and sports advocates took a jab at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) with an ad reminiscent of Super Bowl commercials. The ad, created by XX-XY Athletics, was spearheaded by Save Women’s Sports, led by Riley Gaines. It specifically targets the ACLU for a recent video featuring former women’s soccer player Megan Rapinoe, which supports transgender athletes in women’s sports.
The ACLU released a video as part of its “More Than A Game” campaign, voicing its support for transgender youth and their families, emphasizing the right to “be themselves.”
In response, Gaines and XX-XY Athletics co-founder Jennifer Say launched an ad that boldly declares, “Women’s sports are more than just a game.” The campaign showcased well-known activists, including former San Jose State University volleyball player Brooke Slusser, former University of Kentucky swimmer Caitlin Wheeler, former ESPN host Sage Steele, and Outkick founder Clay Travis.
In recent years, the ACLU has faced backlash from women activists over its stance advocating for the inclusion of transgender male athletes in women’s sports. ACLU representatives defended the rights of trans athletes during a case heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on January 13.
In that case, the ACLU represented a transgender teen from West Virginia, whose situation involved allegations from a female teammate’s family concerning incidents in the women’s locker room. The ACLU has rejected those allegations.
Say urged the ACLU to support the boy facing these claims. “The ACLU is trying to erase that fact. [The teen] is a boy. He has been accused of sexually harassing a teammate in the locker room. They portray him as both a victim and a girl wanting to fit in, which is disrespectful to the girls training hard to secure their spots on the team,” Say expressed, emphasizing that this undermines the efforts of female athletes.
She further stated, “Girls are not disabled boys. Women and girls should not be regarded as optional categories. We are redefining this conversation and won’t back down. This is not just about language or equity; it’s about the rights of women and girls.” Say declared that the ACLU is reshaping what competitive sports mean and what it means to be a woman. “We cannot allow that to happen. Women are adult human beings, and sports are meant for mastering skills and achieving goals. Women deserve a level playing field and the chance to compete and triumph.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the ACLU for a statement. Previously, the ACLU claimed in a statement that their client and his mother denied the harassment allegations, asserting that the school’s investigation deemed them unfounded. They reiterated their commitment to protecting all students’ rights under Title IX, including maintaining a safe and inclusive learning environment.
During the Supreme Court hearing on January 13, ACLU attorney Joshua Block argued against defining “sex.” He later avoided questions about these claims when approached by Fox News Digital outside the court. Despite expectations that the court’s conservative majority may lean against the ACLU’s trans-athlete clients, the organization continues to advocate for the inclusion of men in women’s sports.
Say, Gaines, and other activists seem determined to counter this push fiercely.
