Minnesota Lynx coach a “Trans kids belong” shirt on the sideline during Sundays game against the Indiana Fever.
Fans throughout Target Center held signs supporting their favorite WNBA players.
But when Riley Gaines displayed a small sign reading, “Sophie, thank you â a girl mom,” an arena staffer tried to make her put it down.
According to Gaines, the staffer told her the problem was that the sign contained Fever guard Sophie Cunninghams name.
“I checked all the sign policies before I went in there,” Gaines told OutKick. “I made sure it was like 11 by 17. Thats the sign size you could have. So, I got a ruler out. You better believe I was measuring it.”
Gaines attended Sundays Fever-Lynx game to support Cunningham, who has faced intense criticism since publicly stating that womens sports should be reserved for women.
Cunningham was loudly booed throughout Indianas 108-100 loss in Minneapolis, while Reeve used the game to make her opposing position clear.
ESPNs broadcast highlighted Reeves shirt and encouraged viewers to listen to the Lynx coachs previous comments on transgender athletes.
Meanwhile, a staffer inside the arena apparently decided Gaines simple message of support for Cunningham needed to disappear.
Gaines arrived at Target Center around 11:40 a.m. local time, approximately 20 minutes before tipoff.
She had initially planned to attend a rally outside the arena but remained at her hotel after her personal security team advised her that the situation had become too hostile.
Gaines was not present for a confrontation outside that was was described by some social media users as an “assault.” Video reviewed by OutKick showed one person ripping a T-shirt from another persons hands, but did not appear to show anyone being struck or injured.
As Gaines entered the arena, however, she said a protester stationed near the entrance put a bullhorn near her face, sounded it and shouted at her.
Once inside, the response was mixed.
Gaines said some people directed insults and hostile looks toward her, but many others requested photographs, thanked her, offered fist bumps and quietly expressed support for her position. She said some people even brought copies of Gaines’ book into the arena and asked her to sign them.
Around halftime, Gaines said families and young girls formed something resembling a photo line near her seat.
“There were so many people stopping me, asking me for photos, Thank you for doing what youre doing, winks and whispers and fist bumps, people buying me drinks,” Gaines said.
At some point during the game, she held up her sign.
“I see an arena staffer, someone whos on the court wearing the all-black official clothing, who points at me and mouths something,” Gaines recalled. “I cant hear him because hes so far away, but he appeared to say, Put your sign down.”
At first, Gaines wasnt sure the staffer was addressing her. Numerous other people in the arena were holding signs, including signs containing the names of players.
The staffer eventually approached her and repeated the instruction.
“He comes over and he says, You have to take your sign down. Im like, No, I dont. I checked all the sign policies before I went in there,” Gaines said.
Gaines asked why her sign was prohibited.
“He said, Well, because it has her name on it. It has Sophie
