Nike’s Super Bowl Ad Sparks Controversy Over Transgender Athlete Stance
Nike’s recent Super Bowl commercial, marking its first in 27 years, has ignited a firestorm of controversy, particularly regarding the company’s perceived stance on transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. While the ad featured a star-studded lineup of female athletes, including Caitlin Clark, Sabrina Ionescu, JuJu Watkins, Sha’Carri Richardson, and Jordan Chiles, it has drawn criticism for what some see as a failure to address the concerns surrounding fairness and safety in women’s sports.
The one-minute ad showcased various slogans like "You can’t flex, so flex," "You can’t fill a stadium, so fill that stadium," "You can’t be emotional, so be emotional," and "You can’t win, so win." While seemingly empowering on the surface, critics argue that these messages ignore the challenges faced by female athletes who advocate for maintaining the integrity of women’s sports.
XX-XY Athletics, an athletic brand dedicated to supporting female athletes and defending safety and fairness in women’s sports by advocating for the exclusion of biological males from women’s and girls’ sports, released a video featuring athletes reacting to Nike’s ad.
April Hutchinson, a powerlifter suspended from the Canadian Powerlifting Union for speaking out against a trans athlete competing in women’s categories, expressed her disapproval of the ad’s "flex" message. "I’ve never been told that I can’t flex or can’t do this or that," Hutchinson stated, implying that the ad’s message was disconnected from the realities faced by female athletes who voice concerns about transgender inclusion policies.
Sia Liilii, the women’s volleyball captain at the University of Nevada, whose team fought against their school’s decision to play against a trans athlete from San Jose State Spartans, argued that Nike’s ad represented an outdated form of feminism. "That Nike ad kinda represented old feminism. I don’t think anyone is telling women in sports they can’t champion their sport," Liilii explained.
Other athletes featured in the XX-XY Athletics video labeled Nike’s approach as "fake feminism" and accused the company of "pretending to care about women" while "ignoring the real problem." The "real problem," according to XX-XY Athletics, is the restriction on female athletes’ ability to speak out on the issue of protecting women’s sports.
"Women can flex, be confident, be emotional, fill stadiums. And win. But what can’t they do? Speak. On one subject in particular: protecting women’s sports," an XX-XY Athletics press release stated.
Riley Gaines, a sports civil rights advocate, concluded the video by directly addressing Nike: "’Just Do It’ – that’s your slogan, isn’t it Nike? Just do it. Stand up for women. It’s the easiest thing in the world to do."
Jennifer Sey, a former U.S. gymnast and founder/CEO of XX-XY Athletics, also criticized Nike on social media. "You’re so full of it. The only thing female athletes are told they can’t do is stand up for the integrity of their sports, for keeping men out of women’s sports. Literally, that’s the only thing," Sey wrote in response to the commercial.
Michele Tafoya, a veteran sports broadcaster and journalist, echoed the sentiment that Nike’s message was outdated and out of touch. "Nike is too late to this party. And they’re stuck in stereotypical language from about 25 years ago," Tafoya wrote, adding, "What a waste of ad dollars."
The controversy surrounding Nike’s ad highlights the ongoing debate surrounding transgender athletes in women’s sports. Advocates for fairness argue that allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports undermines the integrity of the category and creates an uneven playing field. They argue that biological differences between men and women provide inherent advantages to male athletes, regardless of gender identity.
Conversely, advocates for inclusion argue that transgender women are women and should have the same opportunities to participate in sports as cisgender women. They emphasize the importance of creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all athletes, regardless of gender identity. They suggest that fairness can be achieved through measures such as hormone level monitoring and other eligibility standards.
The issue has become increasingly politicized, with some states enacting laws that restrict transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports. President Donald Trump fulfilled his campaign promise of protecting women’s sports, signing the "No Men in Women’s Sports" executive order Feb. 5. While some states complied and the NCAA revised its own trans athlete policy, states like Minnesota have rejected changes to their policies.
The Nike ad controversy underscores the complexities of this issue and the challenges faced by companies navigating these sensitive topics. While Nike may have intended to create an empowering message for female athletes, the ad has instead sparked a debate about the company’s commitment to fairness and safety in women’s sports.
