Jennifer Sey Advocates for "These Girls" in Women's Sports, Citing Nike's 2017 Stance on Caster Semenya

Jennifer Sey, founder and CEO of XX-XY Athletics, has called for a cultural re-evaluation of women's sports, aiming to "retrain their eyes on these girls." Speaking at a Genspect event, Sey drew a parallel to Nike's 2017 support for Caster Semenya, emphasizing a need to defend female athletic spaces. Her comments underscore a growing movement advocating for biological sex in women's sports.

XX-XY Athletics, launched in March 2024, positions itself as an apparel company dedicated to upholding women's sports and spaces. Sey, a former athlete and Levi Strauss executive, founded the company to empower female athletes and ensure fair competition. Her involvement with Genspect, an organization that has recently launched a "Re-psychopathologization" campaign related to transgender identification, highlights the specific context of her advocacy.

The analogy to Caster Semenya refers to Nike's 2017 "Dream Crazier" campaign, which featured Semenya and celebrated her resilience amidst controversy. Semenya, a South African Olympic gold medalist, faced ongoing scrutiny and regulations regarding her naturally high testosterone levels, leading to debates about fairness in women's athletics. Nike's campaign generally supported her right to compete, framing her as an athlete overcoming adversity.

Sey's statement suggests a desire for a similar high-profile defense for female athletes, particularly concerning the inclusion of transgender women in women's sports categories. This stance aligns with the broader mission of XX-XY Athletics and Genspect, which advocate for policies that prioritize biological sex in sports. The debate continues to be a significant point of contention across athletic organizations and regulatory bodies globally.