Ep 341 | Supporting Female Athletes Shouldn’t Be Controversial | Guest: Jennifer Sey - Kibbe on Liberty

Summary

Podcast Summary: Ep 341 | Supporting Female Athletes Shouldn’t Be Controversial | Guest: Jennifer Sey

Introduction

In Episode 341 of Kibbe on Liberty, host Matt Kibbe welcomes Jennifer Sey, the founder of XXXY Athletics, to discuss her athletic brand and her steadfast belief that “boys are different than girls.” Filmed live at Freedom Fest on July 23, 2025, this episode delves into the controversies surrounding gender distinctions in sports and the broader cultural implications.

Defending Gender Differences in Athletics

Jennifer Sey introduces her brand, XXXY Athletics, which champions the idea that biological differences between boys and girls should be respected, especially in sports. She states, “[...] boys cannot become girls. I know that’s hard to wrap your head around the thing we all believed 10 years ago” ([01:15]).

Sey emphasizes that while 80% of people agree with her stance, the remaining 20% have significant influence over institutions like media and sports governing bodies. “80% of people do agree with us on those very simple facts. And yet the 20% that does not have captured all of the institutions” ([01:15]).

The Riley Gaines Case Study

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around Riley Gaines, a swimmer at the University of Kentucky who transitioned from male to female. Jennifer recounts Riley’s experiences, highlighting the challenges she faced, such as being removed from her running club and enduring online harassment. “[...] she was kicked out of her running club. She was told not to wear their jersey. The day before the marathon, she was stalked online” ([02:49]).

Matt questions the fairness of Riley’s treatment during competitions. “[...] when two people tie that some bureaucrat says, well, you get the prize?” ([11:52]). Jennifer clarifies NCAA rules, indicating that typically both athletes would share the podium, suggesting that Riley’s situation was handled improperly ([12:04]).

Simone Biles Controversy

The conversation shifts to Simone Biles, the renowned gymnast, and her involvement in the Riley Gaines incident. Jennifer explains that while Biles is celebrated for her athletic prowess—“she has seven Olympic medals” ([15:38])—her response to Riley Gaines was problematic. Biles publicly criticized Riley, calling her a “murderer” and a “fascist” for supporting traditional gender categories in sports ([17:15]).

Jennifer believes Biles’ actions were influenced by external pressures from the “woke trans mob,” leading to backlash from both sides and forcing Biles' sponsors to issue a poor apology ([16:56]). This incident, according to Jennifer, serves as a cultural tipping point that highlights the deep divisions over gender identity in sports.

Marketing and Branding Strategies of XXXY Athletics

Jennifer details the progression of her brand, now a year and a few months old, which has already garnered significant media attention. “[...] it’s doing exactly what I wanted it to do, which is it gives people who are maybe a little afraid to speak out in their hometown at their daughter’s soccer game. It gives them a way to do it” ([06:08]).

She explains that XXXY Athletics uses apparel to provoke conversations and provide a sense of community for like-minded individuals. The brand’s flagship product, a high-quality T-shirt with the slogan “Real girls rock. Real women rock,” serves as a unifying statement for supporters ([37:31]).

Guerrilla Marketing and Community Building

Drawing parallels to classic brands like Levi’s, Jennifer emphasizes the importance of authenticity and community in marketing. She shares her experience at a Spartan Race, where attendees proudly wore XXXY Athletics gear, reflecting the brand’s growing influence. “[...] people want to wear the logo to say what they believe. My friend Jamie Reed, who was a whistleblower [...], she saw people wearing our T-shirt, and she knew she had friends there” ([35:29]).

Matt adds that such grassroots interactions are crucial for building a loyal customer base. The brand’s presence at events traditionally not associated with libertarian or conservative thought, like music festivals and obstacle races, demonstrates its expanding reach ([36:40]).

Cultural Impact and Future Plans

Jennifer aspires for XXXY Athletics to become a mainstream athletic brand that competes with giants like Nike and Lululemon. She emphasizes that the brand is not just a business but a movement aimed at restoring what she calls “common sense” in gender distinctions. “[...] it's becoming a uniform of common sense” ([35:27]).

Looking ahead, Jennifer plans to continue participating in relevant sporting events and expand the brand’s influence through strategic marketing. She believes that as more people wear XXXY Athletics apparel, the cultural conversation will shift towards broader acceptance of her stance on gender differences. “I want to influence the cultural conversation. I want to make it cool to stand up and say girls and women deserve their own sports and spaces” ([37:02]).

Conclusion

The episode concludes with mutual appreciation between Matt and Jennifer, underscoring the importance of dialogue and community in advancing their shared values. Jennifer reiterates the significance of maintaining spaces where biological women can compete and feel safe, advocating for third categories where necessary. “[...] girls and women need to feel comfortable and safe. I mean, that's my priority, certainly” ([27:43]).

This engaging and thought-provoking episode of Kibbe on Liberty offers listeners a deep dive into the contentious debate over gender in sports, the strategies behind building a like-minded community, and the broader implications for cultural change.

Notable Quotes:

Jennifer Sey on societal agreement: “80% of people do agree with us on those very simple facts. And yet the 20% that does not has captured all of the institutions” ([01:15]).
On Riley Gaines’ harassment: “She was kicked out of her running club. She was told not to wear their jersey” ([02:49]).
Discussing cultural tipping points: “I think that she humiliation of women. I really do think that's part of it” ([13:06]).
On brand mission: “We want to make high quality products. It’s made ethically. We don’t make anything in China” ([35:33]).
Jennifer’s vision: “I want to influence the cultural conversation. I want to make it cool to stand up and say girls and women deserve their own sports and spaces” ([37:02]).

Listen to the full episode on Blaze Podcast Network’s Kibbe on Liberty to gain more insights into the ongoing discussions surrounding gender, sports, and cultural dynamics.

Transcript

Matt Kibbe (0:00)

Welcome to Kibbe on Liberty. I am live at Freedom Fest with my friend Jennifer Seay. She's a regular on this show and we're going to talk about her new athletic brand, XXXY Athletics. And she is going to defend the radical position that boys are different than girls. If you can handle it, check it.

Unknown (0:38)

Welcome to Kibbe on Liberty.

Matt Kibbe (0:57)

Jennifer. Hey.

Jennifer Seay (0:58)

Hi, Matt.

Matt Kibbe (0:58)

How are you?

Jennifer Seay (0:59)

Good.

Matt Kibbe (1:00)

I think yours will be the most controversial PODC that I do here at Freedom Fest because you insist on this crazy idea that boys are different than girls. How can you possibly believe that?

Jennifer Seay (1:15)

I know I'm going out on a limb and boys cannot become girls. I know that's hard to wrap your head around the thing we all believed 10 years ago, but, yeah, I'm building a brand around that very simple idea, which should be the easiest thing in the world to say, but somehow kicks up all kind of dust and controversy. And you know, the irony though, Matt, is 80% of people do agree with us on those very simple facts. And yet the 20% that does not have captured all of the institutions. And so media, universities, sport governing bodies, they all sort of tout this fiction that if you say you're a woman, you are.

Matt Kibbe (2:04)

It's kind of bizarre to me, and I'm sure you've dug into where that pressure campaign came from, but it strikes me as. As a marketing strategy. You're trying to market a brand that's, that's, that's. That argues that women are women and men are men, which I don't even believe. It's an 8020 issue, I'm assuming.

Jennifer Seay (2:27)

I mean, 8020 is what they say, but, I mean, I assume at some point we'll get to 95. Five, I think. You know, I mean, I think there'll always be holdouts that believe you are what you say you are.

Matt Kibbe (2:38)

Yeah, yeah, but. Yeah, but, but the, but the blowback you get from that, that minority, that very aggressive minority, has to be like a marketer's dream, right?

Jennifer Seay (2:49)

Well, we avail ourselves of that opportunity every time there is a conflict in the world around this. And that means, you know, a Young man named A.B. hernandez wins multiple state championships in Calif. Every time something happens, Simone Biles says something crazy and calls Riley Gaines all kinds of names for thinking men and women are different. More people of that 80% that are mostly silent, a few more lean in and decide, no one's going to do this for us. We have to do it. But the blowback is real. I mean, we work with a lot of young athletes. We recently started working with this woman. She's a marathoner. Not like Olympic level, but really, really fast. Like, you know, I think she just ran marathon Boston in 2:45. That's pretty fast. We did a series of interviews with her beforehand about the fact that Boston qualified a few males in the women's division, males who say they're females. She was kicked out of her running club. She was told not to wear their jersey. The day before the marathon, she was stalked online. Her location was stalked in her training runs on Strava. So it's. They're pretty brutal. The tactics of the other side. Now she's withstood it and it's just made her stronger and madder. She's like the nicest, most soft spoken person in the world. And they're like, you know, you're a murderer, fascist. Killing trans people. Because she said the women's category should be for women.