Jennifer Sey: The future for women in sports

Summary

Podcast Summary: Brian Kilmeade Show

Guest: Jennifer Sey

Episode: "The future for women in sports"

Date: July 5, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Brian Kilmeade welcomes Jennifer Sey—CEO of XXY Athletics, author, filmmaker, business executive, and retired national champion gymnast—to discuss the current and future landscape of women’s sports in America. The central themes are the impact of recent Supreme Court decisions on transgender athletes in women’s sports, cultural and legislative battles, the role of business and media narratives, and conversations around women’s representation and opportunity in athletics.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Supreme Court Decision & Title IX

• Legal Landscape:

  • The Supreme Court upheld states’ rights to ban transgender women (biological males) from competing in women’s sports, affirming laws in 27 states.
  • Some states (“blue states”) still refuse to enact such protections, with 23 states lacking equivalent laws.

  "I expected the Supreme Court to uphold the legality essentially of the 27 states that have laws protecting women's sports. ...So we're not done. We won, but we're not done."
  — Jennifer Sey (01:49)

• Title IX’s Intent Needs Clarification:

  • Sey advocates for federal legislation or a reaffirmation of Title IX to explicitly guarantee sex-based protections in sports.

  "We need to kind of restate the meaning of Title 9, which was to protect women and girls, sex based rights. ...We need to change the culture because if we make it culturally unacceptable for a coach or an administration to field a boy, then it will stop happening."
  — Jennifer Sey (02:28)

• Practical Challenges:

  • Competitive athletes often compete across state lines, creating difficulties when rules differ by location.
  • The patchwork of laws is impractical and unfair for girls in unprotected states.

Cultural Influence and the Battle for Narrative

• Brand Influence:

  • Sey founded XXY Athletics to truly elevate and defend women and girls in sports, countering what she sees as inauthentic support from large brands like Nike.

  “We deserve a brand too. ...Brands influence the culture. And we're at a cultural disadvantage. Even though 70, 80% of Americans agree with us, the 20% that don't. They've got like a hold on our institutions..."
  — Jennifer Sey (04:34)

• Media Framing:

  • Mainstream narratives focus heavily on trans rights and portray recent decisions as setbacks, neglecting wins for women.

  “No one is writing as a headline. This is a win for women and girls civil rights. That's the essence of the cultural problem we have."
  — Jennifer Sey (04:34)

Misconceptions and Pushback

• No One is “Banned”:

  • Sey rebuts claims from political and advocacy figures suggesting trans athletes are outright banned; instead, they are asked to compete in categories aligning with their biological sex.

  "They're all saying that these trans identified athletes are banned from competing. No, they're not. They can compete in the category of their sex. No one is banned from anything."
  — Jennifer Sey (05:51)

WNBA, Caitlin Clark, and Athlete Support

• WNBA & Caitlin Clark:

  • Discussion over lack of league support and protection for rising star Caitlin Clark, despite her massive popularity and impact.

  “They have this athlete that everybody loves...her jersey sales compete with the best, you know, male basketball players...and yet they refuse to market her. I mean, it's business malfeasance and the league is just letting her be injured on the court."
  — Jennifer Sey (06:37)

• Resilience & Stoicism:

  • Both Sey and Kilmeade praise Clark’s stoic response to harsh treatment, arguing it’s integral to her character and approach to the game.

  "She doesn't complain...I think if she complained it would get worse. ...she is a real stoic and that benefits her in the game."
  — Jennifer Sey (08:03, 08:18)

• Considerations for Clark:

  • Sey suggests Clark could capitalize on her talent abroad or in a new league if things don’t improve with the WNBA.

  "There's a part of me that would love to see her walk away and...Do it, make money, go to Europe, get the eyeballs in Europe. They don't deserve you, Caitlin."
  — Jennifer Sey (07:37)

Gender Barriers & Commentary

• Progress in Sports Commentary:

  • Kilmeade observes and applauds female analysts like Carli Lloyd commenting on men’s sports as a sign of progress.

  "It's a great point and I hadn't thought of it...why can't Carli Lloyd do commentary for the men's game? I mean, it's the same sport...Absolutely. It's fantastic."
  — Jennifer Sey (09:24)

Growth of Women’s Flag Football

• Women and Football:

  • Kilmeade praises the NFL’s promotion of flag football for girls, seeing it as essential for deeper engagement and understanding of the sport.

  "It's the fastest or second fastest growing sport amongst high school girls. Colleges are introducing teams, girls can get scholarships for flag football. It's fantastic. ...Why not have more teams for women to play on? I think it's outstanding."
  — Jennifer Sey (10:29)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "We won, but we're not done."
  — Jennifer Sey (01:49), summarizing the work ahead after the Supreme Court ruling.

• "No one is writing as a headline. This is a win for women and girls civil rights. That's the essence of the cultural problem we have."
  — Jennifer Sey (04:34), on media framing.

• "They're all saying that these trans identified athletes are banned from competing. No, they're not. They can compete in the category of their sex. No one is banned from anything."
  — Jennifer Sey (05:51), challenging misinformation.

• "She’s a real stoic and that benefits her in the game."
  — Jennifer Sey (08:18), about Caitlin Clark’s temperament.

• "Why not have more teams for women to play on? I think it's outstanding."
  — Jennifer Sey (10:29), on the rise of women’s flag football.

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:09: Supreme Court decision and state laws—What it means for women's sports.
• 02:20: Next steps for advocating women’s sports protections.
• 04:34: The founding of XXY Athletics and the role of sports brands in culture.
• 05:47: Political and media responses; misconceptions about bans.
• 06:13: Caitlin Clark and the WNBA; league’s duty to protect and promote athletes.
• 08:59: Female commentary in male sports and cultural progress.
• 09:52: Rise of women’s flag football and growing opportunities.

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Conclusion

The episode offers an unfiltered and impassioned discussion of ongoing challenges—and victories—for women in sports. Jennifer Sey brings experience, activism, and business insight, highlighting the need for legislative clarity, cultural change, and authentic support of women athletes. Brian Kilmeade facilitates the conversation with timely, relevant observations and positive takes on evolving sports culture, particularly around athlete advocacy and expanding opportunities for women and girls.

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For more insights or to support women’s sports, check out XXY Athletics.

Transcript

[Sports Commentator]

And we're live on Matchday as Doug reaches for a Buffalo wing. He's got it. Oh, and he's gone for a can of Pepsi too. What a finish. There's no doubt about it. It just tastes better. Matchdays deserve Pepsi.

[Radio Announcer]

Radio.

[Jennifer]

That makes you think this is the Brian Kilmeade Show.

[Political Analyst]

It's hugely significant and there's no evidence of rushing. This thing has been pending and Dr. People crazy for years. Many people who support allowing transgender athletes to compete in women's sports have said that that's because they're following the law, specifically Title 9. They can't say that anymore. So this is now a choice. It's a choice that large athletic organizations have rejected, that a majority of states have rejected or about to reject. It is a choice that they are making on an issue that is almost now 70% of the populace as against this type of transgender athletes participating in women's sports.

[Interviewer (Brian Kilmeade)]

And of course, the Supreme Court upheld the fact that you can ban trans men for being in women's sports, but the blue states are going to continue to do it. So they rather have a trans athlete compete so their feelings don't get hurt, but rather put your child, your daughter, you know, your sister, your aunt, whatever, put their health in jeopardy. And their success, their success takes a backseat. Jennifer say joins us now. CEO of XXY Athletics, author, filmmaker, business executive and retired national champion gymnast. Jennifer, I was not surprised by the Supreme Court decision. Were you heartened by it?

[Jennifer]

I am absolutely encouraged. It was the right thing. I will say. It's what I expected. I expected the Supreme Court to uphold the legality essentially of the 27 states that have laws protecting women's sports. I did not expect them to go so far as to say all states must adhere essentially to the intent of title nine. And we have 23 states still that basically will refuse to protect women and girls in their sport categories. So we're not done. We won, but we're not done is what I would say.

[Interviewer (Brian Kilmeade)]

Right. So what could they be done? If you're stuck in one of those blue states and blue cities, I mean, do you. What do you encourage them to do?

[Jennifer]

I think there's a few things. I think we need national legislation. We shouldn't because we have Title nine, but we need to kind of restate the meaning of Title nine, which was to protect women and girls, sex based rights. I think we need state by state legislation. I'm the chairperson for a ballot initiative here in Colorado. We did get enough signatures and we'll be on the ballot in November. I think the people will decide and do the right thing. And I think, and this is what I've been saying and why I started the brand, we need to change the culture because if we make it culturally unacceptable for a coach or an administration to field a boy, then it will stop happening. The cultural influence here is undeniable. You know, this whole idea that quote unquote, trans women are women, that's a cultural fixation at this point, and it's a lie. The other thing I would say is not only is it unfair that depending on your zip code, you might have to face unfairness, but as a matter of practicality, it doesn't work. If you're a really good athlete, you compete across state lines from a very young age. I was in my first national competition at nine. I competed in New Jersey, but I competed against states all over the country. So how is this going to work if you're in a state like Tennessee that protects women's sports, but you have to go up against a team in California that could field a boy? It doesn't work. So it just. It just doesn't work practically. And it's certainly not fair to the girls in the 23 states that don't have laws.

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[Interviewer (Brian Kilmeade)]

So why did you start xxy?

[Jennifer]

Well, I wanted to have a brand that actually does defend women and girls in sports that does it for real, that isn't just pretending to champion women and girls, but takes a real stand and elevates them and their performance and their rights. I've been fighting for safety in women's sports for a very long time. I was the first gymnast that spoke out about abuse in women's sports and gymnastics all the way back in 2008. So you've got brands like Nike pretending to champion female athletes but treating them with astonishing disregard. We deserve a brand too. And let's be, let's be clear here, Brian. Brands influence the culture. And we're at a cultural disadvantage. Even though 70, 80% of Americans agree with us, the 20% that don't. They've got like a hold on our institutions, whether it's media or universities or school boards. And so it feels like. It can feel like they're the majority. I mean, look at the headlines we've seen in the last few days. It's all about how horrible and devastating this is for trans rights. No one is writing as a headline. This is a win for women and girls civil rights. That's, that's the essence of the cultural problem we have. And I want to be a part of changing that.

[Interviewer (Brian Kilmeade)]

Yeah, I mean, Nancy Pelosi came out and condemned the decision right away.

[Jennifer]

Yeah, she's not the only one. So did Tim Waltz, so did Gavin Newsom, so did Governor Pritzker, not to mention all the advocacy organizations like the naacp. And they're all lying, Brian. I mean, they're all saying that these trans identified athletes are banned from competing. No, they're not. They can compete in the category of their sex. No one is banned from anything.

[Interviewer (Brian Kilmeade)]

Yeah, that's good point. How do you feel about what else is going on? And everyone's talking about Caitlin Clark in the wnba. I can't believe I'm still talking about this three years later, but it seems to be getting worse. How do you feel about the uproar and the fact that there's an unapologetic. There's no apology from the league, there's no explanation from the league nor from the players that were suspended.

[Jennifer]

It's astonishing. The WNBA, which has never made any money and it's 30 years of existence, they have this golden goose, right? They have this athlete that everybody loves. Her jersey sales compete with the best, you know, male basketball players. I think her jersey sales are number two of all jersey sales for basketball players. That's insane. The only one she comes in second to is Steph Curry. Right? So they have this person, this player that is putting butts in seats and getting eyeballs. You know, the games that she plays have twice as many viewers as the games that she's not in. And yet they refuse to market her. I mean, it's business malfeasance and the league is just letting her be injured on the court. I mean, her coach has been really strong on this. And of course, Sophie Cunningham has been her greatest Defender. So I don't know, I don't know what the solution has here. She's going to get hurt at some point. There's a part of me that would love to see her walk away and

[Interviewer (Brian Kilmeade)]

start her own league or go to Europe.

[Jennifer]

Do it, make money, go to Europe, get the eyeballs in Europe. They don't deserve you, Caitlin. They don't deserve you.

[Interviewer (Brian Kilmeade)]

You know, I saw it in the first year, I said wait, it must be resentment because they've been there up to 20 years. And Caitlin, Caitlin Clark walks in and we see her successful. I could see maybe a few hard fouls. I get it pre established you're not in college anymore. Oh, I got it.

[Jennifer]

Part of the game.

[Interviewer (Brian Kilmeade)]

But now we're seeing here. Know what I also love, Jen Jennifer? Is that she doesn't complain.

[Jennifer]

She doesn't.

[Interviewer (Brian Kilmeade)]

She'll talk to the ref or whatever but you don't see her and she'll just clear the foul or wants additional free throw or wants a flagrant. I get it. But she doesn't complain. Do you think that hurts her in the public opinion?

[Jennifer]

I don't think so. I mean she is quite stoic. I don't know, I think if she complained it would get worse. I think she does to some extent view it as part of the game, but it's obviously gone too far. I mean when you've got a fist on your throat and they don't, they don't call that as a flagrant foul for 24 hours. You don't have to look at film to see that it was obvious to everyone watching there was a fist on her throat and the punishment wasn't significant enough. I don't know. I think it's just her way. We can't ask her to change her personality. Right. I mean she's a real stoic and that benefits her in the game.

[Interviewer (Brian Kilmeade)]

Yeah, I love it. And I got two more topics that are unrelated.

[Jennifer]

Yeah.

[Interviewer (Brian Kilmeade)]

And this is just my thought. I love the fact that they have premier athletes talking about the other gender. For example, Carli Lloyd on the desk. I saw her to cut her and I'm watching her again. Analyze the men's game. It's the same sport, why not? But don't you love that we're doing this now, making it interchangeable and if an Alex Morgan or somebody else wanted to go do it, we accept it now. I think it also shows progress, don't you?

[Jennifer]

Absolutely. It's a great point and I hadn't thought of it. I mean I'm enjoying the World cup, like everybody else right now, was a great win for the US Last night. And talk about stoicism. They had a player ousted from the game, their main score, and they just focused and doubled down and won the game. 2 0. I can't wait to watch them in their next game. But, yeah, why can't Carli Lloyd do commentary for the men's game? I mean, it's the same sport, same rules, same everything, so. Absolutely. It's fantastic.

[Interviewer (Brian Kilmeade)]

And Jennifer, say lastly, the biggest and smartest thing that football ever did was push for flag football. Because even though there's so many female athletes now, it's 50, 50 in this country, basically most women don't know football because they don't play it. So now that they're playing flag football, every girl I know wants to play it in high school now. Now they're offering scholarships. And now when they watch it on television, the NFL now, instead of people saying, you know what's going on and maybe I'll pick a team, they know what's going on. They know what it's like being in a huddle. They know what it's like shooting under pressure. They know the positions.

[Jennifer]

Yeah, it's a, it's a great point. I mean, I think it's the fastest or second fastest growing sport amongst high school girls. Colleges are introducing teams, girls can get scholarships for flag football. It's fantastic. Look, women are competitive, women want to win, women want to play. Why not have more teams for women to play on? I think it's outstanding.

[Interviewer (Brian Kilmeade)]

Yeah. Jennifer, thanks so much. Always appreciate having you on. And it's nice to know you're watching the World cup too, gymnast who likes soccer. How about that, Jennifer? Thank you.

[Jennifer]

My two, two kids at play. I'm all in.

[Interviewer (Brian Kilmeade)]

Oh, yeah. XX xy. Go check out her athletic action wear. Appreciate it.