Fans Ejected from Portland Thorns Match Over 'Pro-Women' Apparel Labeled 'Transphobic'

Fan Group Removed from NWSL Match

A group of eight individuals was removed from a Portland Thorns soccer match at Providence Park after stadium security identified their attire as "pro-women" and flagged it as problematic. Video footage shows Amy E. Sousa engaging in a conversation with a venue staff member for approximately one minute while seated during the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) game against the Washington Spirit.

The individuals were wearing clothing from XX-XY Athletics, alongside shirts featuring slogans such as "Save Women's Sports," "Girls just wanna have fundamental rights," "Woman," and "It's common sense."

Venue personnel presented the group with a notice indicating a violation of the Providence Park and NWSL Code of Conduct before escorting them from the premises. The notice informed the group that venue staff would contact them within 72 hours regarding further penalties and warned that a refusal to provide personal identification on site could result in a ban from all future events at the stadium.

Sousa later stated she was accused of being transphobic. Following their removal, Sousa posted on social media, refuting any claims that the group had caused a disturbance within the venue prior to security intervention.

"We did nothing. We had not even shown our shirts. We were dressed like this when ejected," Sousa wrote on X, addressing the incident.

Questions Arise Over Speech Enforcement

The incident at Providence Park, which is owned by the City of Portland but managed by a private entity, has brought into question the policies regarding speech enforcement at publicly owned sporting venues. The event prompts a key inquiry for sports enthusiasts: Who is responsible for regulating game-day attire, and at what point does security enforcement become an overreach? It also highlights a disparity in how different Portland sports franchises manage fan apparel.

Sousa had previously worn her XX-XY Athletics shirt to a WNBA game at the Moda Center, featuring the Portland Fire and Indiana Fever, and was even shown on the arena's large jumbotron during the live broadcast. In contrast, she and other fans were later ejected from Providence Park for wearing similar pro-women clothing during the Thorns match.

"I didn't take it seriously," Sousa commented on online warnings she had received before the Sunday match. "I was like, what are they going to do? Arrest us for watching soccer?"

Social Media Advocacy Preceded Ejection

The security action at Providence Park reportedly followed public social media posts from Hannah Perry, an organizer for a local LGBT group, who had reportedly urged municipal and state officials to intervene at the city-owned stadium. Before the game, Perry sent a Facebook message to Sousa, indicating that she had already alerted the Portland Police Department, the mayor, and Governor Tina Kotek about the situation.

Perry also stated that she was directly contacting Providence Park and various local organizations to demand the group's removal. She referred to Sousa as a "pathetic excuse of a human being" and expressed hope that Sousa would "not allowed into the stadium."

The NWSL Fan Code of Conduct prohibits spectators from displaying signs, symbols, words, or imagery used for political campaigning or advocacy. However, neither the league's nor the venue's regulations offer an objective standard to differentiate basic slogan apparel from prohibited political expression, leaving enforcement largely to the discretion of staff.

Requests for comment directed to Providence Park venue management, the Portland Thorns, and NWSL league headquarters were not immediately answered.