Eight fans were ejected from a Portland Thorns match after stadium staff objected to clothing bearing pro-women slogans, in an incident that followed the removal of five of the group from a women’s sports bar earlier the same day.
Amy Sousa and seven others were attending the National Women’s Soccer League match between the Portland Thorns and Washington Spirit at Providence Park on Sunday, 6 September, when a security guard told them they had been reported for wearing “transphobic” slogans.
Video recorded by Sousa shows the group being approached in their seats. The security guard said he had been told that someone was “giving out information” and that the stadium was “inclusive”.
“We haven’t done anything transphobic,” Sousa replied, before asking: “Why are we not included?”
The group was subsequently handed a written notice alleging an infraction of the Providence Park and NWSL Fan Code of Conduct. The notice said staff had 72 hours to contact them about any further penalties and warned that refusing to provide personal information could result in a ban from future events at the stadium.
The league’s 2026 code prohibits threatening, abusive or discriminatory words, signs, symbols or actions based on sex, gender or gender identity. It also bars displays used for commercial purposes, electioneering, campaigning or advocating for or against a political party, candidate or legislation.
The policy allows for ejection without a refund, the loss of ticket privileges and, in serious cases, a ban from NWSL matches. Providence Park’s own matchday guidance states that admission may be refused and ticket holders ejected, while anyone removed from the venue must provide contact details.
Group removed from Portland women’s sports bar
Earlier on Sunday, Sousa and four other patrons had been asked to leave The Sports Bra, a venue in north-east Portland dedicated to women’s sport.
A waitress approached the group after they had been served and told them that other customers were uncomfortable with their clothing. “If I have to call authorities to get you all removed, I will, but I don’t want to do that,” she said in footage shared online.
When asked why the group had been allowed to order before being confronted, the employee said she had not noticed the T-shirts initially. She also said she had already received complaints from customers.
The clothing included items from XX-XY Athletics, a brand that campaigns for female-only categories in women’s sport. Slogans visible on the shirts included “Save Women’s Sports”, “Girls just wanna have fundamental rights”, “It’s common sense” and “Woman”.
Sousa, who describes herself as a “gender abolitionist”, said the group had not interacted with anyone outside their party. She later told Storyful that all five left the bar, including a man wearing a plain shirt with no message.
The Sports Bra said on Instagram that its mission was to “support, promote, and empower ALL girls and women in sports”. The business added: “To be clear: trans girls are girls, and trans women are women.”
It said the group had been offered the choice of covering what it described as “anti-trans messaging” or leaving, and chose to leave. The venue said it welcomed people of every identity and background but would not tolerate messages or conduct it believed demeaned or excluded the community it served.
XX-XY Athletics describes itself as a company established to protect women’s sport and spaces, saying on its website that female sport should remain female so women can compete safely and fairly.
Sousa later posted a photograph of herself wearing Portland Thorns merchandise and said she had been removed despite holding personal political beliefs that she had not expressed inside the stadium.
Requests for comment from the Portland Thorns, Providence Park and the NWSL had not received an immediate response.
