ACLU Partners with Designer Willy Chavarria on "More Than A Game" Campaign Supporting Transgender Youth in Sports

The American Civil Liberties Union has launched the "More Than A Game"campaign to rally support for two transgender youth athletes challenging state bans on their participation in school sports, enlisting award-winning queer fashion designer Willy Chavarria to create exclusive merchandise. The campaign coincides with recent U. S. Supreme Court oral arguments in landmark cases involving Becky Pepper-Jackson, a 15-year-old from West Virginia, and Lindsay Hecox, addressing bans at high school and collegiate levels.

Chase Strangio, co-director of the ACLU’s LGBTQ & HIV Project and a key attorney on both legal teams, explained the campaign's purpose in an interview, stating that the ACLU sought ways to intervene in public discourse amid "misinformation and really insidious rhetoric"surrounding the cases. He emphasized the organic link between fashion and sports, noting how athletes use outfits to make statements, which made partnering with Chavarria—a designer known for political fashion statements and ACLU Artist Ambassador for Immigrants'Rights and LGBTQ Rights—a natural fit.

The merchandise, including jackets featuring images of supporters, spotlights celebrities and athletes such as Megan Rapinoe, Sue Bird, Elliot Page, Benito Skinner, Kara Young, Brianna Turner, and Naomi Watts, alongside young people and Strangio himself. Chavarria's involvement aligns with his history of using runway shows for activism; at his Spring/Summer 2026 Paris Fashion Week presentation in June 2025, he staged models kneeling to protest ICE raids and deportations targeting immigrants and LGBTQ individuals.

Strangio told Out. com that cultural narratives heavily influence legal outcomes, particularly in cases involving transgender people, stating, "When it comes to something like a case about trans people before the Supreme Court, so much of what's happening is being infused with cultural narratives about transness. " The campaign aims to disrupt harmful rhetoric by showcasing supportive voices, making it "harder and harder for people to say, 'Well, nobody supports trans people. Nobody supports trans inclusion in sport.' "

In an official ACLU statement, Strangio elaborated: “And while we will absolutely defend our rights and our humanity in the courts, we know that transgender people’s path out of this moment of crisis will also require a broad, diverse coalition leading change in our communities and our culture. More Than A Game is our rejection of the efforts to divide us against one another and is instead a call for the unity we need to defend the freedom we deserve on and off the field. ”

The ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of Pepper-Jackson and her mother Heather, arguing the West Virginia ban violates Title IX. Strangio praised Pepper-Jackson's resilience, saying, "The amazing thing about Becky is she's been able to find the resilience through this, and the sort of deep sense of purpose to at least send a message of sort of hope, of humanity to other young trans people. " This campaign highlights broader LGBTQ+ community efforts to affirm transgender youth's rights amid ongoing legal battles, blending cultural advocacy with litigation.

Strangio's extensive experience bolsters the initiative; he has led ACLU challenges to anti-transgender laws since 2016, including 12 cases against bans on gender-affirming care, and argued related issues four times in federal appeals courts. Colleagues like ACLU Legal Director Cecillia Wang described him as "our nation’s leading legal expert on the rights of transgender people, "while co-director James Esseks noted his "intelligence, compassion, and courage. " The "More Than A Game"effort reflects a multifaceted strategy to support transgender youth, emphasizing person-first advocacy and coalition-building in the face of restrictive policies.