Context:

Jennifer Sey, founder of XX-XY Athletics, has criticized Nike for allegedly funding a study on puberty blockers for children and its impact on athletic performance. The study aims to determine the necessary level of medical intervention for males to compete fairly in female sports, with the controversy highlighted by the case of transgender athlete Blaire Fleming. Joanna Harper, a trans woman, is leading the study, which measures fitness results over several years. Sey questioned why a shoe brand would involve itself in such research, calling it degrading to women and girls. She believes Nike's decision might have been made without senior executives' awareness and suggests Nike should apologize and withdraw funding from such research.

Dive Deeper:

• Jennifer Sey criticized Nike over its alleged involvement in funding a study on puberty blockers for children, which aims to assess how medical interventions can allow males to compete in female sports.

• The study, highlighted in a New York Times article, includes Blaire Fleming, a transgender female volleyball player whose participation in the NCAA women's volleyball season was controversial.

• Joanna Harper, a trans woman, leads the study, which involves a 10-step fitness test conducted before and after hormone therapy over a five-year period to measure its impact.

• Sey expressed concern over why Nike, a shoe brand, would fund such a study, arguing it degrades women and girls by implying they are impaired compared to males.

• She believes the decision to fund the study might have been made without the knowledge of senior executives and suggests Nike should issue an apology and cease funding.

• The study's future is uncertain due to political and regulatory challenges, including Trump's order targeting transgender youth medical care, although funding from Nike reportedly remains unaffected.

• Sey proposed that the study equates to unnecessary and harmful medical treatment of children, questioning the ethics and motivation behind such research.