Pro-Woman Advocates Slam Nike Over Alleged Funding For Puberty-Blocker Study

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It recently came to light that the biggest sports apparel company in the world, Nike, is apparently helping to fund a study on the use of puberty-blockers in children and how it affects their athletic performance. 

READ: Nike Won't Say If It Is Funding Child Transgender Athletes Study, But Evidence Suggests It Is

The short version of the study's purpose is simple: how much medication, hormones and surgery needs to be given to young boys to allow them to "fairly" compete in girls' and women's sports? To this point, Nike has not confirmed its financial investment in the study, but they have not denied it, either. 

Of course, most rational-thinking people already know the answer that this study seeks to find: there is no amount of pharmaceutical or medical intervention that should allow boys to compete in girls' and women's sports. In addition, giving these life-altering "gender-affirming treatments" to children should be considered child abuse. 

And why is Nike allegedly funding such a study? They are a sports apparel company that primarily produces sneakers. What are they looking to gain from this "research?" Do they want more children receiving these treatments? Unfortunately, the company has, thus far, refused to answer these questions. 

Pro-woman advocates condemn Nike for its alleged role in a study on the effect of puberty-blockers on children 

Riley Gaines, host of the OutKick podcast "Gaines for Girls" and one of the most influential pro-woman voices in the country, blasted the company. 

"It’s utterly insidious that Nike would bankroll a long-term study on pre-pubescent athletes—effectively turning children into political guinea pigs—to advance a irreversible, harmful ideology that preys on the most vulnerable," Gaines said. "Did the Bud Light–Dylan Mulvaney fiasco teach Nike nothing? Corporations should stick to making products, not picking culture-war sides—but with Nike, a company that has proudly shown their disdain for America, women, and now apparently children, I won't hold my breath." 

Pro-woman advocate Riley Gaines blasted Nike for its alleged role in funding a study on children taking puberty-blockers and their resulting athletic performance.

(XX-XY Athletics & Getty Images)

Bud Light partnered with Dylan Mulvaney in 2023, and suffered massive blowback as a result. Interestingly, Nike also partnered with Mulvaney to promote sports bras. Nike didn't suffer quite as much from negative attention, though Martina Navratilova took to X at the time to say "I guess Nike couldn't find a female athlete to sell sports bras."

Partnering with an adult who chooses to do what Mulvaney does is very different from a study on pre-pubescent children. 

Jen Sey, founder of XX-XY Athletics and also a major voice in the fight to protect women's sports and spaces, condemned Nike for apparently funding "medical experiments" on children. 

"Why on earth would a sneaker brand be in the business of doing medical experiments on adolescent boys? On anyone?" Sey told OutKick. "Furthermore, girls aren’t impaired boys. The idea that if we just hamper boys enough they can compete with girls without standing out too much — to be passable as girls — is demeaning and degrading to girls. Nike needs to get back to business. Focus on the product and leave little boys alone."

It's beyond time for Nike to explain itself. Is the company funding this research? If so, why? If not, why are the researchers claiming that it is? We're waiting, Nike. 

The ball is in your court. 

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to OutKick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named "Brady" because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.