Air Force Allowed 'Pride' Shirt During SJSU Match But Not A 'Keep Women's Sports Female' Shirt

A controversy arose at the Air Force Academy over the weekend when security told a fan that he couldn't wear a shirt that said "Keep Women's Sports Female" during a volleyball match against San Jose State. 

San Jose State has a player named Blaire Fleming, who is transgender. Five schools have refused to play against SJSU because of the presence of Fleming. 

However, Air Force was not one of those schools. Air Force played its scheduled match against the Spartans on Saturday and lost, 3-1. 

But the controversy started before the match began when Air Force graduate John Kopecky ('02) was asked to unzip his hooded "Air Force" sweatshirt. 

Underneath, he had a t-shirt that said "Keep Women's Sports Female." Security told him that if he unzipped or took off his sweatshirt at any point, they would ask him to leave. 

The Air Force Academy wouldn't allow a fan to wear a shirt that said "Keep Women's Sports Female" during the San Jose State match, but approved a "pride" shirt.

(U.S. Air Force Photo by Ray Bahne)

Air Force said to OutKick in a statement that the school "takes necessary measures to provide a safe environment at all home athletic events for players, coaches, staff and fans." 

Air Force declined to answer several direct questions about why that shirt was disallowed, or what made the school declare that the shirt was considered "political messaging." 

But at least one fan in the crowd proudly donned an Air Force shirt emblazoned with the "Rainbow/Pride" colors in what could easily be perceived as a show of support for Fleming. 

Now, if a shirt that says "Keep Women's Sports Female" is a "political message," particularly during a match against a transgender opponent, how is a "pride" shirt not an equally political message? 

A photo taken from court side at the Air Force/San Jose State volleyball match on Saturday.

A fan is seen wearing a "Pride" shirt at the women's volleyball match between Air Force and San Jose State.

Clearly, there are people on both sides of this issue and it creates intense debate. So, why is one side allowed to express its opinion openly and the other is not? 

OutKick asked Air Force why it allowed the "pride" shirt and not the "Keep Women's Sports Female" but the school declined to provide an answer, telling us that it didn't "have anything further" from its previous statement. 

OutKick also asked if the school planned to keep the same security measures in effect when the team faces Wyoming on Thursday, but it also declined to answer that question. 

Interestingly, Wyoming is one of the five schools that canceled its match against San Jose State, joining Southern Utah, Boise State, Utah State and Nevada. 

However, the University of Nevada has refused to forfeit the match as an institution, even though the women of the team voted to forfeit. 

Sources tell OutKick that the Nevada women do not plan to play against San Jose State on Saturday. 

The whole situation has become a mess for the Mountain West Conference and the NCAA, both of which have remained largely silent on the issue.