The WNBA's 30th season celebration includes an All-Star initiative with a $100,000 prize pool aimed at supporting organizations dedicated to keeping girls involved in sports. However, one of the chosen Chicago-area beneficiaries, Girls in the Game, has a stated mission that includes welcoming "gender-expansive participants regardless of gender identity or expression" and is described on its website as "moving beyond the binary of ‘girl.’"
The WNBA announced that the winning All-Star team's affiliated organization would receive $70,000, with the runner-up's organization receiving $30,000. Team Spoon is supporting Girls in the Game, while Team Coop is supporting Angels Athletics.
The WNBA has described Girls in the Game as an organization that "partners with schools, parks, and community centers in Chicago to offer sports, health, and leadership programs." Further examination of the organization's website revealed language under the heading "We stand for inclusivity" stating, "Moving beyond the binary of ‘girl’, we welcome LGBTQ+ youth and gender-expansive participants regardless of gender identity or expression."
Girls in the Game, which repeatedly frames its mission around girls and girls' sports, has not publicly clarified how it defines "girl" in light of its inclusivity statement. While the organization's 2025 annual report indicates it served 3,059 participants and mentions its Chicago After School program provides a "safe, non-competitive environment for girls to learn and be physically active" in an "all-girl setting," the public-facing program materials do not explicitly state whether participation is based on biological sex or gender identity.
The organization's LGBTQ resource pages also direct users to services related to gender identity, listing resources such as Howard Brown for "gender-affirming health care" and "trans and non-binary care," as well as support groups and hotlines. Another listed resource, God’s Closet, offers "clothes and tailoring for gender-nonconforming/trans people."
OutKick/Fox News Digital reports that it sought to confirm if biological males identifying as girls or other gender-expansive terms have participated in Girls in the Game's programming. The organization did not respond to multiple requests for comment regarding eligibility standards for its girl-centered sports programming, whether parents are informed of the organization's stance on gender identity, or if the WNBA funds would be directed toward specific programs.
Similarly, Angels Athletics, the charity affiliated with Team Coop, did not respond to inquiries about its program eligibility. The WNBA also did not respond to questions about its awareness of Girls in the Game's language prior to selecting the organization and whether it supports biological males participating in girls' youth sports programming if they identify as girls.
The WNBA has framed the initiative as being dedicated to "keeping girls involved in sports." Critics argue that an organization stating it is "moving beyond the binary of ‘girl’" raises questions about eligibility for its programs, particularly given the WNBA's stated purpose for the initiative.