XX-XY Athletics founder Jennifer Sey weighs in on the company’s ‘Save Girls Sports’ shirt being labeled as ‘transphobic.’
The startup sportswear brand XX-XY Athletics, founded by former U.S. gymnast and Levi’s executive Jennifer Sey, crossed seven figures in profit in its first 10 months in 2024, she told FOX Business in an exclusive interview.
Sey isn’t trying to compete with Nike for sportswear supremacy by any means. She recognizes the difference in resources between her company and the industry juggernauts. She’s simply taking up all the real estate that those companies have refused to compete for – activist apparel for women athletes opposed to trans inclusion in their sports and locker rooms.
Election year 2024 saw that issue ignite a sprawling counterculture movement. Former college swimmer Riley Gaines, considered one of the pioneers of the movement with her lawsuit against the NCAA over having to face Lia Thomas in the 2022 NCAA championships, was Sey’s first brand ambassador.
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Since then, the company has launched an NIL program. That roster added prominent Mountain West volleyball players Brooke Slusser and Sia Liilii, and Gaines’ younger sister Neely Gaines, a gymnast at the University of Kentucky.
But Sey is honest about what her brand, and cause as a whole, is missing so far.
“There isn’t a top-tier competitive female athlete or coach that has stood up for the protection of women’s sports,” Sey said. She added that women’s tennis legend Martina Navratilova is one example of a star who has, but isn’t actively competing.
“We don’t have any currently-competing top-tier athletes who have spoken out. I think that’s an illustration of how far we have to go. It should be normal for them to stand up and say ‘I will fight for the protection of women’s sports,’ and yet they haven’t, because I think a lot of them are afraid of being called terrible names.”
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For Sey, all of the women athletes who have signed with her brand so far had no reservations about taking on the backlash that might come with it. And that’s because each of them had already been aligned with the cause of protecting women’s sports before signing.
But she thinks that can change in 2025 and beyond, and is aiming to do that. She already has her pitch for them.
“I would say, ‘You have enjoyed tremendous success as a female athlete, tremendous opportunity. Don’t you want to ensure that girls and young women in future generations have that same opportunity? It is impossible if we don’t keep women’s sports female.’”
But Sey also knows there are financial barriers to this.
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Former Levi Strauss & Co. Brand President Jennifer Sey says women are silenced when they speak out about the trans athlete issue on ‘Varney & Co.’
“I’m not going to pretend I can offer what Nike offers or even what a Vuori offers [financially],” Sey said about pitching potential brand ambassadors who are on the fence about joining her cause. “But I take great solace and courage myself in knowing I’m standing up and doing the right thing, and you will grow with us, and you will know that you stood and did the right thing and protect women’s sports for future generations, and you will have financial opportunity that comes with our growth.”
“But I’m not going to sit there and pretend I can compete with Nike as far as what I’m going to pay them, we’re 10 months old… but we will grow.”
Sey says she is keeping a close eye on some potential star athletes who she knows are “secretly on her side.”
“We know there are women secretly on our side who haven’t been brave enough yet,” Sey said. “We’re waiting patiently for their courage and to do the right thing.”
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For Sey, a step toward attracting that talent was taken on Sunday, when the company launched its latest video advertisement. The “Real Girls Rock” ad portrays the brand’s ambassadors, who have stood up for women’s sports, facing vulgar hate comments and witnessing liberal media outlets berate them as “transphobic.”
It tackles the mainstream’s taboo around the brand head on, and uses it as a powerful marketing prop. The ads are set to run on the respective podcasts hosted by Michele Tafoya, Megyn Kelly and Riley Gaines. The goal is to get the ad to go viral.
“With virility comes increased business, as we reach out to more people and bring new people into the fold and into the brand, that helps us grow our business.”
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