26 Days Later, Nike Remains Virtually Silent About Alleged Funding Of Transgender Youth Study
On April 20, the New York Times published a 10,000+ word piece on former San Jose State volleyball player Blaire Fleming. A biological male, Fleming made national headlines while competing for the women's team.
Buried deep in the story was a detail that many might not have noticed, but OutKick did. Researcher Joanna Harper was said to be working on a study of trans adolescents to measure the effects of hormone therapy and medical transitioning. Harper also told the Times that Nike was funding the study.
So, to recap, Nike appears to have, at some point, helped fund a study on the effect of "gender-affirming" care among young male athletes to see if it's possible to impair them enough so they can "fairly" and "safely" compete in girls' and women's sports.
"The study is being funded by Nike"
While the company has since told OutKick that the study "was never initialized" and "is not moving forward," it's unclear when those decisions might have been made. The company has refused to provide additional context, despite the study's head researcher – Dr. Kathryn Ackerman – and a secondary researcher – Harper, a male who "identifies" as a woman – both publicly stating that Nike was funding the study.
OutKick has been digging into all angles of this story. What follows is a rundown of what we've reported since the story broke.
April 23
Pro-Woman Advocates Slam Nike Over Alleged Funding For Puberty-Blocker Study
Riley Gaines and Jen Sey quickly slammed the company for the alleged funding of a study on transgender athletes as young as 12.
"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.
Tomi Lahren, Michele Tafoya Rip Nike Over Alleged Funding Of Puberty-Blocker Study
OutKick host Tomi Lahren noted that Nike has long supported radical left-wing causes, but allegedly funding a study on "transgender" minors would be the worst thing they have ever done.
"I've never been a fan of Nike [because of] their whole thing [with using] Chinese labor, and then you've got the Kaepernick-era… This, though, is by far the most egregious thing. And if Bud Light tanked because of the Dylan Mulvaney can, if Nike is indeed funding something like this, I don't know how people can look away," she said.
April 24
Physicians Warn of Medical Risks In Trans Youth Study Allegedly Funded By Nike
OutKick spoke with physicians who warned of the potential harms in exposing children to life-altering pharmaceutical intervention packaged as "gender-affirming care."
"The potential physical and mental health risks of these interventions, especially in young, developing bodies, cannot be overstated," Dr. Nicole Saphier said in a statement to OutKick. "Puberty is a critical window for growth, bone density, and emotional maturation, and altering it with hormone blockers can lead to irreversible consequences — ranging from weakened skeletal health and infertility to heightened anxiety and depression."
April 25
Nike Finally Responds About Transgender Youth Study, But It Raises More Questions
A Nike executive with knowledge of the situation finally contacted OutKick. The answers we got raised even more questions.
OutKick asked the Nike executive if Dr. Kathryn Ackerman and Joanna Harper, the lead researchers, who had both publicly stated multiple time since 2023 that Nike was funding the study, were wrong to say that. The executive said "no one was wrong" but that there might have been some "gaps in the information chain." Again, what did that mean? Nike still would not clarify.
HONG KONG, CHINA - 2021/10/07: Children play in front of the American multinational sport clothing brand Nike store, logo, with a slogan "Just Do It" illuminated banner in Hong Kong. (Photo by Budrul Chukrut/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
April 26
A Look Back At Nike's Greatest Woke Hits
Nike has a history of backing woke causes. From Colin Kaepernick to BLM, the sneaker company has made some questionable calls in recent times.
April 27
'Just Embroiled In Controversy': XX-XY Founder Jennifer Sey Unloads On Nike About Youth Transgender Study
The rival executive and supporter of women's sports appeared with Dan Dakich and unloaded on what Nike was apparently funding.
"That is a tough one," Sey said. "There's a million reasons why they don't want this out there. First off, their business is really struggling. I think their stock price is down 40% on the year, they're just embroiled in controversy, they've got a new CEO, things aren't really going as planned; They really need to get back to making world-class products and unifying marketing, and I think this new CEO knows this."
There's a million reasons why they don't want this out there. First off, their business is really struggling. I think their stock price is down 40% on the year, they're just embroiled in controversy.
April 28
Nike Athletes, USA Basketball Silent On Brand's Alleged Funding Of Transgender Youth Study
OutKick reached out to many of Nike's star representatives and organizations via email and/or direct messages on social media with a request for comment regarding the alleged study and whether it impacted their perspective on their partnership.
USA Basketball, the U.S. men's and women's national soccer teams, the WNBA, as well as Nike athletes including Caitlin Clark, Nelly Korda, Paige Beuckers, Brooks Koepka, Kevin Durant, Naomi Osaka, and Diana Taurasi didn't immediately respond to the requests for comment on the story.
April 29
GOP Lawmakers Blast Nike For Alleged Transgender Athlete Study Funding, Dems Stay Silent
OutKick reached out to politicians across the political spectrum to get their thoughts.
"Under no circumstances should any company or organization subsidize a study that green lights experimenting on children and giving them life-altering medications, hormones, and surgeries," said Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). "Nike needs to immediately come clean about whether it’s doing the radical left’s bidding by funding this unconscionable study and putting kids in harm’s way."
(Imagn Images & Getty Images)
"Didn’t Nike get the memo? 77 million Americans sent a simple message on November 5th: boys are boys and girls are girls," said Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL).
Unfortunately, none of the Democrats that OutKick asked for a comment responded. That included Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA).
VP Vance Takes On Nike's Alleged Funding Of Youth Trans Study: 'Craziness Hasn't Gone Away'
Vice President JD Vance joined Clay Travis and Buck Sexton on "Clay & Buck" and Travis asked about the study and Nike's alleged funding.
"I think that so many of these companies, Nike or otherwise, got caught up in this cultural zeitgeist of 2020, 2021," Vance said. "Maybe they just thought the progressives were going to win, so they decided to fund this stuff to the hilt, not realizing that the American people would have a rebellion against the craziness."
April 30
Clay Travis: Alleged Nike-Funded Study Of Trans Kids Is ‘Infinitely Worse’ Than Bud Light Controversy
During an appearance on Fox News' The Faulkner Focus, Clay Travis called what Nike was allegedly doing "infinitely worse" than Bud Light’s much-maligned partnership with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
May 2
HHS Contradicts Study Allegedly Funded By Nike With New Review On Transgender Treatments For Children
The Department of Health and Human Services released guidance that directly contradicted years of agenda-driven activism from the media and transgender groups, as well as possibly a corporation such as Nike, which has allegedly funded transgender youth studies.
A new comprehensive review published Thursday confirmed that sex-change surgeries and other "interventions" on minors and children have "significant risks," but with "very weak evidence of benefit."
May 5
Rep. Burgess Owens Torches Nike Allegedly Funding Trans Study: 'Child Abuse'
Sep 24, 2024; Washington, D.C., USA; Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development chairman Burgess Owens (R-UT) speaks during a hearing on issues affecting FASFA applicants at the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 24, 2024.. Mandatory Credit: Josh Morgan/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
(Imagn Images & Getty Images)
Utah Republican Rep. Burgess Owens, a former NFL player who won a Super Bowl with the Oakland Raiders, took to X to rip Nike's alleged role.
"If Nike funded experiments on young children to justify putting boys in girls’ sports, the American people deserve answers. If this is true, it’s not just wrong — it’s pure evil. Time to speak up Nike," Owens wrote.
"If Nike is funding experiments on children — puberty blockers, injecting hormones, sterilizing, and stunting growth — they are no better than the monsters who backed the inhumane studies of the Tuskegee Experiment. This is not science; it’s child abuse."
May 6
Tomi Lahren Unloads On Nike Over Alleged Transgender Study Funding
Lahren joined Harris Falkner on Fox News and unloaded on the sports apparel giant yet again.
"Nike's a mess. And, if all of this is true about funding these trans studies, this is worse than [partnering with Colin] Kaepernick; this is worse than the Bud Light debacle; this is the worst thing we've seen for a company… in my lifetime," Lahren said.
May 7
Nike Is Making Trans Study Funding Story Worse By Not Commenting, Crisis Management Expert Says
Nike's virtual silence on whether the athletic apparel maker funded a study on trans adolescents is keeping the issue alive and making the situation worse, according to a leading crisis management expert.
Lee Carter, the president and partner of Maslansky+Partners, detailed in an interview how Nike's silence only leads to more questions and the public taking full control of the narrative.
"All the language that they've used is ambiguous. It can be interpreted in any number of different ways," Carter said. "It's like Bill Clinton stating, 'I never had sexual relations with that woman.' What do those words mean? What are you trying to say? Anything that's left ambiguous is going to be interpreted negatively when you have questions."
May 9
Charles Barkley On Nike Trans Youth Study 'Have To Be Very Careful' With Kids
Outspoken NBA great Charles Barkley appeared on Dan Dakich's show. He made his views on men playing in women's sports crystal clear, and also gave his views on Nike's alleged study.
Charles Barkley Talks Nike Transgender Youth Study - Don't @ Me With Dan Dakich
"Men should not play sports against women. If anybody thinks that, I think they're stupid," Barkley continued. "I support the gay community 100%. I support the transgender community 100%. But I do not, under any circumstances… think that men should play sports against women. And if anybody has a problem with that, they're gonna have to get over it because I'm not gonna change my [mind]. I just think it's wrong, period."
On transitioning adolescents: "I don't even think anybody knows who they are as a young kid. So I think we have to be very careful because you don't want to put kids in a disadvantageous situation, because, hey, when you get older, you can make your own decision. But I think we have to be very careful screwing around with kids because they're not fully developed as a person."