A Maine-based breastfeeding group is facing major backlash for promoting “trans lactation” and displaying a disturbing image of what that looks like.
The Maine State Breastfeeding Coalition posted the image last week on Instagram in honor of National Breastfeeding Month. 
“National Breastfeeding Month is for every family,” the group wrote. “We&#8217;re proud to celebrate and uplift trans lactation, chestfeeding, and Two-Spirit families during National Breastfeeding Month. Every family deserves affirming, respectful, and evidence-based care. Creating inclusive spaces means recognizing that parents use different words to describe their feeding journeys, and honoring each person&#8217;s identity and lived experience.” 
“Milk makes families, and every family belongs,” the group added.
Predictably, comments on the social media post are turned off, but a screenshot of the post shared by Libs of TikTok set off a firestorm on X. 
“You will live to see man-made horrors beyond your comprehension,” Libs of TikTok <a href="https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/2089766034181890141">wrote</a> in response to the image of a bearded woman, or possibly a man pumping fake (or actual) breast milk out of his or her chest.
“Those people are not just insane but pure evil. WTF?” one comment <a href="https://x.com/pattyandbeagle/status/2089908380546551939">said</a>.
“This is disgusting and wrong on so many levels,” another person <a href="https://x.com/GNFranzia/status/2089864084934074574">agreed</a>.
The Maine State Breastfeeding Coalition touts itself as <a href="https://www.mainebreastfeeds.org/about">having a mission</a> to “empower and nurture Maine families throughout their human milk feeding journeys.” The group offers an FAQ document for “LGBTQIA2S+ Parents” which includes some instructions on “chestfeeding” for men and other abominations.
“Inducing lactation in transgender women is very similar to inducing lactation in cisgender women. While there are transgender women who have successfully established a milk supply, the amount produced varies from woman to woman,” the <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/623c93ab859fd10054a0c136/t/6961055db3607530a4c75381/1767966058235/Q%2B+Parent+Resource.pdf">resource material</a> says.
The document also downplays any risks of “chestfeeding” a newborn baby while taking testosterone.
“Currently, not much evidence exists as to the safety of taking testosterone while chestfeeding,” it says. “The studies that do exist show that taking testosterone (either via cream, gel, orally, or injection) does pass into human milk in low levels, but this low amount does not adversely affect the baby or increase the levels of testosterone in the baby’s blood. It is currently considered safe to chestfeed while on testosterone.”
The organization encourages “non-birthing parents” to bond with the baby by inducing lactation. This practice sometimes involves biological males using a breast pump to produce a milk-like substance from their bodies.
“It is important to know that inducing lactation can take a lot of time and energy, but it is worth it for many families,” the document states.

Trans breastfeeding

Breastfeeding Group Promotes ‘Trans Lactation’ With Horrifying Photo

Breast Milk

LGBT

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An Arizona doctor running for Congress on a platform championing “universal healthcare” voted against a law to protect kids from transgender surgeries. 
Amish Shah, a former emergency room doctor, consistently voted against proposals aimed at shielding kids from the impacts of transgender ideology during his time as a lawmaker in the state house. Shah, who emphasizes his medical credentials on the campaign trail, has <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/09/16/us-news/arizona-democrat-backed-universal-single-payer-health-care-in-resurfaced-clip/">called</a> for a single-payer, fully government-funded healthcare system. 
While in the state House, Shah <a href="https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview?SessionID=130">voted against</a> a 2022 bill banning doctors from performing transgender surgeries on kids. These surgeries <a href="https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/55leg/2R/laws/0104.pdf">included</a> removing the breasts of girls who identify as boys and surgeries crafting fake genitals for gender-confused children. Despite opposition from Democrats, Governor Doug Ducey signed the measure into law in March 2022. 
Shah twice voted against bills to keep males out of female sports, including a 2022 measure that became law. Additionally, he did not support a proposal to ensure that males cannot use female bathrooms at schools. 
The scrutiny on Shah’s pro-trans stance comes as Democrats across the country have struggled after Republicans successfully campaigned on the issue during the 2024 presidential election. Some Democrats have received <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trans-activists-tell-dem-candidate-shut-up-and-listen-to-his-face?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trans+Activists+Tell+Dem+Candidate+%E2%80%98Shut+Up+And+Listen%E2%80%99+To+His+Face">verbal lashings</a> from leftist constituents for moderating on the issue, and others have avoided the issue altogether. 
At the same time as Shah is on the ballot, Arizona voters will have the opportunity to approve a <a href="https://www.azleg.gov/alispdfs/council/2026BallotMeasures/HCR2003%20-%2057th%202nd.pdf">ballot measure</a> that would strengthen current law to keep males off female sports teams and ensure privacy for females in locker rooms and restrooms. 
Shah’s Republican opponent in the race is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-nfl-kicker-backed-by-trump-wins-gop-primary">Jay Feely</a>, a former kicker for the Arizona Cardinals whose platform includes keeping men out of women’s sports. Both men are running to replace outgoing Republican Rep. David Schweikert, who mounted an unsuccessful run for governor. Schweikert won the district, which covers large swaths of Maricopa County, by four points in 2024, and Democrats are targeting it as one of the seats they would like to flip.
Shah’s voting record on transgender issues has drawn criticism from Republicans. 
&#8220;Socialist Amish Shah showed off his far-Left beliefs as a state legislator,” National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Ben Petersen told The Daily Wire. “Socialist Shah proved he&#8217;s too extreme for Arizona and voters will reject his radical, out of touch agenda.”
During his time in the legislature, Shah <a href="https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/56leg/2R/bills/HB2736P.pdf">introduced</a> a proposal to ban so-called “conversion therapy” and to make gender identity and sexual preference protected classes. Conversion therapy bans broadly prohibit counselors from pushing gender-confused kids to feel comfortable in their bodies. 
Shortly after introducing the measure, Shah <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f21-C7kS1k">said</a> that he hoped he could “continue to be a great advocate for our state, our district, and the LGBT community.”
Shah’s platform does not mention how he would vote on transgender issues, but it does highlight his support for abortion. It boasts of his 100% “pro-choice voting record” and calls for Congress to pass a law guaranteeing the right to end the life of an unborn child. 
The Arizona Democrat previously criticized America’s health care system for being “based on the free market,” saying “there’s a lot of things that are wrong with that.”
“No other industrialized country or first-world country offers health care through a free market because it’s not really a system,” he <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/09/16/us-news/arizona-democrat-backed-universal-single-payer-health-care-in-resurfaced-clip/">said</a> in May 2019 at an event with the Phoenix Democratic Socialists of America and the Progressive Democrats of America. To “take the problem and fix it, we need universal, single-payer Medicare for All throughout this country,&#8221; he added.
His campaign website <a href="https://www.amishforarizona.com/issues">describes</a> him as a &#8220;proven champion for universal healthcare.&#8221;

US-VOTE-POLITICS-HARRIS

Key House Race Features Pro-Trans Doctor Pushing ‘Universal Healthcare’

2026 Midterms

Arizona

Health Care

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WASHINGTON— Activist groups are pressuring Democrats to go all-in on transgenderism ahead of the midterm elections — a topic that proved fatal for the left in 2024.
During a Democratic National Committee meeting in Texas this month, the Human Rights Campaign <a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/aug/15/democrats-plan-decade-long-strategy-push-pro-transgender-narrative/">revealed its plan</a> to spend $15 million on the midterm elections in order to push transgender ideology. Activists articulated a plan to highlight stories of trans-identifying teenagers in a pitch to gain sympathy from voters who believe they&#8217;ve been discriminated against, <a href="https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/aug/15/democrats-plan-decade-long-strategy-push-pro-transgender-narrative/">The Washington Times reported.</a>
The strategy is particularly notable given how badly transgenderism has consistently polled for Democrats: the latest polls show that <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/08/11/most-americans-are-uncomfortable-with-transgender-athletes-on-sports-teams-that-dont-match-their-birth-sex/">most Americans are against</a> men in women&#8217;s sports and <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/voters-widely-oppose-taxpayer-funded-gender-surgeries-revealing-democrat-partys-vulnerability-poll">oppose taxpayer-funded gender transition surgeries</a>. During the 2024 election, President Donald Trump aggressively and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-learned-to-embrace-the-transgender-culture-wars">successfully highlighted Democrat support</a> for gender ideology.
Republicans aren&#8217;t too worried about this messaging, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee shared.
&#8220;If Democrats want to keep lighting money on fire to push transgender propaganda, Republicans won&#8217;t stop them from torching it,&#8221; National Press Secretary Natalie Baldassarre told The Daily Wire. &#8220;Their woke gender ideology has already backfired, and another 10 years of &#8216;narrative work&#8217; won&#8217;t change the fact that Americans don&#8217;t want sick freaks forcing this into classrooms, invading women&#8217;s sports, or exposing themselves in bathrooms.&#8221;
Conservatives have long maintained that Democrats are beholden to far-left activist groups like the HRC — groups flush with cash that can sway the priorities of the Democrat party.  Conservative activists and strategists who spoke with The Daily Wire about the upcoming midterm elections suggested this is still very much the case.
&#8220;The national party is not following public opinion polls,&#8221; The Heritage Foundation&#8217;s Jay Richards told The Daily Wire on Monday. &#8220;It is continuing to follow the most radical, and well-funded, parts of their coalition, such as the Human Rights Campaign. HRC would have little reason to exist but for the gender ideology cause.&#8221;
HRC strategist Sam Alleman, who spoke to the DNC on the topic, shared that his organization has a 10-year plan to change how Americans view transgenderism. That includes flooding the airwaves with personal stories of people who identify as transgender — a strategy activists <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/media-keeps-claiming-abortion-bans-hamper-emergency-pregnancy-care-but-the-examples-dont-hold-up">successfully deployed</a> during the 2024 election cycle on abortion.
“Anti-trans attacks are going to be used in this election at the largest scale we have ever seen them used before, and we have to be ready and prepared for that,” Alleman told the DNC, the Washington Times reported. He did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Daily Wire. “It’s now our turn to show up for the trans community and continue doing that work and driving narrative work.&#8221;
He added: “And we really believe that in terms of shifting opinion on these issues when it comes to sports, healthcare — where it might be tough — the way we do it is by sharing our stories and not backing down and making ourselves more visible.&#8221;
The Trump White House isn&#8217;t impressed with the DNC&#8217;s planning.
“Leave it to Democrats to find themselves on the wrong side of an 80-20 issue,&#8221; White House spokesman Kush Desai told The Daily Wire on Monday. &#8220;While Democrats continue doubling down on a radical, left-wing agenda, the Trump administration will continue to protect young children from unscientific and irreversible child mutilation procedures.”
That&#8217;s a position that the White House has held for quite some time. Late last month, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt referenced criticism of Sophie Cunningham as she told The Daily Wire that the Trump administration&#8217;s stance on transgenderism reflects widespread public opinion.
“They are clearly very out of touch with the American public on this issue, which again is an 80-20 issue,” Leavitt said in late July. “It’s common sense. It’s rooted in basic biological fact that men should not be competing against women on playing fields across the country.”
Groups like the HRC and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have fought long and hard to change sentiment on transgenderism in the United States, crafting the phrase &#8220;gender-affirming care&#8221; to act as a euphemism for transgender surgeries, hormones, and puberty blockers. That clinical sounding euphemism is particularly effective when used in polling questions and framing.
When Americans are polled honestly on the topic, according to the American Principles Project&#8217;s Terry Schilling, they are adamantly against gender ideology in almost every form.  Schilling shared that his organization just got back message testing in Michigan and Wisconsin on Democrats pushing transgenderism on young people and children.
“It’s still shifting voters at incredible levels,” he said.
&#8220;People have seen how the trans agenda has sterilized and maimed even children to build a $4.5 billion medical industry,&#8221; Schilling argued. &#8220;They’ve seen men invading women’s private spaces and endangering our daughters. They’ve seen the victims of this trans agenda commit mass shootings and human atrocities when they can’t get the authentic care they deserve — acceptance and celebration of the sex and bodies that God gave them.&#8221;
Schilling does see one silver lining in the Democrat messaging — &#8220;they aren’t gaslighting us or telling us that it doesn’t happen anymore,&#8221; he added. &#8220;We are at least making progress there!&#8221;
Groups on the right like the Independent Women&#8217;s Forum have fought for years to combat Democrat messaging on topics like men in women&#8217;s sports. Neeraja Deshpande, a policy analyst at Independent Women, argues that Democrats think they have a messaging problem when in reality they have a policy problem. They are fundamentally misunderstanding the American desire to safeguard children.
&#8220;So long as Democrats continue gunning for men in women&#8217;s sports and spaces, and for transitioning impressionable kids who are too young to consent, no amount of lipstick-on-pig messaging is going to change that these are insane policies that the majority of Americans believe are morally wrong,&#8221; Deshpande said.
During the 2024 campaign,  team Trump zeroed in on the Left’s embrace of transgenderism, pouring millions into television ads that warned: “Kamala is for they/them. President Trump is for you.” Those ads didn’t have to do much heavy lifting since they quoted Harris herself, saying: &#8220;Surgery, for prisoners, every transgender inmate in the prison system would have access.&#8221;
Even before the 2024 election, the ad’s success prompted a slew of legacy media stories on the Trump campaign’s strategy to use “anti-transgender” messaging, and how effective that strategy was. According to Democratic testing results <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/08/us/politics/trump-republican-transgender-ads.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reviewed</a> by the New York Times, the “Kamala is for they/them” ad was not only the campaign&#8217;s most viewed ad, it was also their most effective ad.  It aired across the nation throughout those last days of the campaign, including during football games.
Several of these ads are making the rounds right now. In Texas, for example, Ken Paxton partnered with the American Principles Project to run an AI ad against Senate candidate James Talarico, who has made waves trying to justify transgenderism with Christianity. Modeled after the &#8220;Daisy&#8221; ad from former President Lyndon Johnson’s campaign, the ad opens to a little blonde girl lying on an operating table as she awaits a transgender sex-change surgery.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
James Talarico is too radical for Texas. <a href="https://t.co/PxUCmm9GZP">pic.twitter.com/PxUCmm9GZP</a>
— American Principles Project (@approject) <a href="https://x.com/approject/status/2085795525354234239?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
“She dreams of growing up, falling in love, becoming a mother,&#8221; says a narrator in the background, and as the little girl picks the petals off a daisy in a field, counting each petal, a doctor&#8217;s voice can be heard saying: “Keep counting.” As the girl&#8217;s face is covered with a gas mask, the doctor&#8217;s mask drops, revealing the face of Talarico himself.
“The transient brain plays on confused children, irreversible puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, sex-change surgeries,&#8221; the narrator concludes. &#8220;This November, stop them before its too late.&#8221;
There&#8217;s certainly a lot of confidence when it comes to this issue on the right, but that comes with a few cautions. The Heritage Foundation&#8217;s Jay Richards, for example, has been an aggressive participant in the war on gender ideology for years. He warned that though the battle for public sentiment has &#8220;made great strides in the last few years,&#8221; Republicans should be careful about celebrating transgenderism&#8217;s demise too early.
&#8220;Gender madness should hang like a millstone around the neck of Democratic candidates for office,&#8221; he added. &#8220;The only question is whether the Republicans will succeed in reminding voters that the Dems have not surrendered on this most radical, and anti-child, part of the agenda, even though it likely cost them the 2024 election.&#8221;

Screenshot 2026-08-17 at 3.30.34 PM

Democrats Prepare To Step On The Transgender Rake Yet Again

Donald Trump

Human Rights Campaign

Midterms

The Trump administration <a href="https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-ends-federal-medicaid-chip-funding-sex-rejecting-procedures-children-youth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> Tuesday that a final rule barring federal Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funds from being used to pay for transgender medical interventions for minors, including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries.
“Today, we are ending federal taxpayer funding for sex-rejecting procedures on children,” Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said. “These interventions carry serious risks and can cause irreversible harm. The federal government will no longer use Medicaid and CHIP dollars to fund procedures that fail to meet the evidentiary standard our children deserve.”
President Donald Trump celebrated the decision Tuesday, saying his administration would no longer force taxpayers to finance “barbaric surgeries and practices” on children. 
“Just think about all of the young, innocent, and perhaps confused children who will be spared!” Trump wrote on <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117078967972327386">Truth Social</a>.
Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said the policy is intended to protect children from experimental and potentially irreversible medical interventions. 
“Children deserve our protection, not experimental interventions that pose serious risks and convey no proven benefits,” Oz said. “By cutting off federal funds for these sex-rejecting procedures, we’re following the science, saving taxpayer dollars, and, most importantly, protecting children from potentially irreversible harm so they can truly flourish.”
CMS said its decision followed a review of national and international research conducted by HHS that identified what the agency described as significant evidence gaps and safety concerns.
CMS said the procedures can carry potentially permanent consequences, including infertility, impaired sexual function, diminished bone density, altered brain development, and other lasting physiological effects.
The agency also pointed to the United Kingdom’s Cass Review, a comprehensive examination of medical treatment for transgender-identifying children, as evidence of international scrutiny surrounding the treatments.  
The new rule includes a taper-off period for minors already receiving hormone therapy. Federal Medicaid and CHIP funding will remain available for up to six months after the rule takes effect to allow patients to safely get off hormone treatment.
The rule does not affect Medicaid or CHIP coverage for mental health services, which CMS said will continue to be covered under existing federal requirements.
Trump tied the policy to the upcoming midterm elections.
“Please remember this when you are casting your vote in the Midterm Elections in November,” he wrote.
CMS said Tuesday’s action is specifically focused on the use of federal taxpayer dollars. 
“The Trump Administration is drawing a clear line: America’s children will not be subjected to life-altering interventions on the taxpayer’s dime without reliable evidence of safety and clinical benefit,” HHS Press Secretary Emily Hilliard said.
The rule is set to take effect October 13, putting the federal funding restrictions in place less than a month before the November midterm elections.

President Trump Participates In Swearing-In Ceremony For Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz

Trump Admin Ends Medicaid Funding For Child ‘Sex-Rejecting’ Procedures

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President Donald Trump

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Trump Administration

A federal appeals court <a href="https://media.ca11.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/files/202312160.enb.pdf">ruled</a> Tuesday that Florida can enforce its law banning children from attending sexually explicit live performances, delivering a significant win for the state&#8217;s effort to keep minors away from adult-themed drag shows.
“Huge victory for our team at the 11th Circuit! After 3 years of litigation, the full court affirmed the constitutionality of Florida’s ban on children attending sexualized drag shows,” Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier <a href="https://x.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/2084668048112341393?s=20">said</a>.  
Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) signed Florida&#8217;s Protection of Children Act into law in 2023. The measure makes it a misdemeanor to admit a child to an adult live performance featuring nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, specific sexual acts, lewd conduct, or the lewd display of prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts.
The law became a national flashpoint in the conservative movement&#8217;s campaign to protect children. Supporters argued it protected them from sexually explicit entertainment, while opponents said it threatened constitutionally protected expression.
Central Florida-based Hamburger Mary&#8217;s, a restaurant chain known for hosting drag performances, sued to block the law, arguing it violated the First and 14th Amendments because its definitions were unconstitutionally vague and overly broad. The restaurant said the law would chill protected speech rather than target only obscene performances.
A federal district judge agreed and issued a statewide preliminary injunction preventing Florida from enforcing the law.
Florida appealed, and the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit vacated that decision on Tuesday with an 8-5 ruling, concluding that Hamburger Mary&#8217;s was unlikely to succeed on the merits of its constitutional claims. In the decision, a six-judge bloc also concluded the district court lacked authority to issue a statewide injunction, one vote short of a majority on that question.
“[T]he district court lacked authority to impose a universal injunction that prevented the enforcement of the Act against everyone in Florida,” Judge Andrew Brasher, a Trump appointee, wrote in the majority opinion reinstating the law. “Second, Hamburger Mary’s was not entitled to even a more limited preliminary injunction to prevent the enforcement of the Act because its claims do not have a substantial likelihood of success on the merits.”  
The court also rejected the argument that the law&#8217;s reference to the &#8220;age of the child present&#8221; made it unconstitutionally vague.
“There is no doubt the Act is rational. We will not second-guess the Florida Legislature’s decision to regulate obscenity,” the majority wrote. 
Hamburger Mary&#8217;s could ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the ruling. The Daily Wire reached out to Hamburger Mary’s for comment. 
Tuesday’s decision marks a significant legal victory for DeSantis, whose administration has defended the law as part of its effort to shield children from sexually explicit material. 
“We are going to protect the innocence of our children,&#8221; DeSantis <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/2084691717341462979?s=20">said</a>. &#8220;Why would it be problematic to say you can&#8217;t do this stuff that&#8217;s sexually explicit in front of minors?&#8221;
 “I want Florida to be family-friendly,&#8221; he added.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, holds a press conference to speak

Three-Year Culture War Fight Ends With Major Win For DeSantis

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The world&#8217;s top-ranked female tennis player has taken a stand for female athletes.
Aryna Sabalenka, who is ranked No. 1 in women&#8217;s singles, said earlier this week that women&#8217;s tennis must be kept fair and female, backing a one-time gender test for athletes.
“The WTA (Women&#8217;s Tennis Association) recently announced that players will take a one-time gender test,” a reporter said to Sabalenka. “How do you feel about that?” 
“I think it&#8217;s really important to keep the fairness in our tour,” Sabalenka responded, adding that “men are way stronger than women.” 
“I feel like it would be not really fair for the woman to compete against biological men,” the Belarusian tennis player continued. “I believe it took them a little while to make the decision and I support it.”
“If they want to test us all, I&#8217;m happy to do that,” she added. “It&#8217;s pretty fair and let&#8217;s keep it that way.” 
The WTA announced in July that its Women&#8217;s Eligibility Policy will now be based on biological sex, as opposed to so-called gender identity. Now, all players competing on the women&#8217;s tour must undergo a one-time genetic screening for the SRY gene, which is associated with male biology. Players can be tested using either a cheek swab or blood sample.
Back in December 2025, Sabalenka voiced similar comments about the trans sports issue.
&#8220;I think it&#8217;s not fair on women to face basically biological men,&#8221; she <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sports/tennis/sabalenka-says-women-facing-transgender-athletes-not-fair-2025-12-10/">said</a> at the time. &#8220;The woman has been working her whole life to reach her limit and then she has to face a man, who is biologically much stronger, so for me I don&#8217;t agree with this kind of stuff in sport.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_1150105" style="width: 861px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1150105" class="wp-image-1150105 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2283904721-851x576.jpg" alt="" width="851" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2283904721-851x576.jpg 851w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2283904721-300x203.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2283904721-768x520.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/08/GettyImages-2283904721.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 851px) 100vw, 851px" />Robert Prange/Getty Images</div>
Sabalenka&#8217;s comments come on the heels of WNBA star Sophie Cunningham taking a bold stance for women. Bucking the league&#8217;s messaging and other players&#8217; activism, Cunningham said biological males should not be allowed in female sports and that she will always stand up for female athletes and advocate for fairness.
Cunningham doubled down on her position last week. &#8220;I said what I said,” she said, adding, “It’s kind of common sense, and I think I&#8217;ll always believe in that. I think it&#8217;s really important to protect children, and that&#8217;s little girls who are also involved in that category. I stand on what I said and I&#8217;m going to always believe that.”
“I&#8217;m not a very political person, but I do have beliefs,” she continued. “I have morals, and I&#8217;ll always stand on those and be true to who I am, and I think people are going to take it how they want to take it. … When it comes to protecting young girls in sport and women in sport, I feel very strongly about that.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-sophie-cunningham-doubles-down-on-protecting-girls-from-trans-athletes?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=7&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=WATCH%3A+Sophie+Cunningham+Doubles+Down+On+Protecting+Girls+From+Trans+Athletes">WATCH: Sophie Cunningham Doubles Down On Protecting Girls From Trans Athletes</a>

WTA 1000 National Bank Open Presented by Rogers 2026 – Day 1

World’s Top Female Tennis Player Takes Stand For Women’s Sports

No. 1 Female Tennis Player Takes Stand For Women’s Sports

Sophie Cunningham

Tennis

Women's sports

The WNBA’s double standard on free speech is officially out of bounds.
Women&#8217;s sports advocate Riley Gaines pulled no punches on Monday night, telling Fox News that league handlers tried to silence her support for Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham. Appearing on &#8220;Hannity,&#8221; Gaines said that arena officials asked her to put down a benign, completely non-political sign praising Cunningham while Left-wing propaganda was prominently displayed on the arena&#8217;s Jumbotron.
&#8220;The league often says they have a problem with people like Sophie bringing politics into sports. The league doesn&#8217;t have a problem with politics in sports. They have a problem with conservative politics in sports,&#8221; Gaines told host Sean Hannity.
Gaines recounted sitting in the Target Center during a Minnesota Lynx home game holding a small poster that simply read, “Sophie, thank you — a girl mom.” Despite strictly adhering to arena rules, an official approached Gaines and requested that she put the sign away.
Yet, as Gaines pointed out, Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve strolled the sidelines wearing a &#8220;Trans Kids Belong&#8221; shirt while others wore pro-trans shirts featuring an image of a knife even as the arena&#8217;s Jumbotron repeatedly highlighted fans draped in Pride and trans flags. &#8220;If Protect Women&#8217;s Sports is deemed political like they say, then so is Trans Kids Belong,&#8221; Gaines slammed.
After Gaines pushed back, she said she was ultimately allowed to keep the sign displayed, and the arena staffer returned and apologized.
The WNBA finds itself engulfed in an explosive culture war sparked by Cunningham, who has spoken out against allowing men to compete in women’s athletics. Cunningham ignited the firestorm by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wnba-star-breaks-with-league-on-explosive-issue">telling</a> ESPN she wants to &#8220;protect young girls in a locker room,&#8221; later <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sophie-cunningham-triples-down-on-haters-with-ice-cold-instagram-post">doubling down</a> on Instagram with a blunt message to her critics: &#8220;I said what I said.&#8221;
While Cunningham’s common-sense stance has earned her praise from high-profile figures, including Gaines and White House Press Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/karoline-leavitt-rips-leftist-backlash-to-sophie-cunninghams-trans-sports-comments">Karoline Leavitt</a>, it has drawn intense hostility from leftist fans and league insiders. Gaines noted that Cunningham was relentlessly booed by the Minnesota crowd every time she stepped onto the hardwood.
Meanwhile, WNBA leaders continue to hide behind corporate double-talk. Asked point-blank about men in female sports, Fever head coach Stephanie White<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sophie-cunninghams-coach-asked-where-she-stands-on-men-in-womens-sports?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Sophie+Cunningham%E2%80%99s+Coach+Asked+Where+She+Stands+On+Men+In+Women%E2%80%99s+Sports"> offered</a> a classic corporate dodge, claiming she wasn&#8217;t &#8220;educated enough from a scientific standpoint.&#8221;
The hostility has even boiled over into the stands. During a recent Fever road trip to Seattle, Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton was suspended from attending her team&#8217;s next five home games after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wnba-co-owner-accused-of-cursing-out-teen-girls-over-xx-xy-shirts?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=WNBA+Co-Owner+Accused+Of+Cursing+Out+Teen+Girls+Over+XX-XY+Shirts">launching</a> an expletive-laden tirade against two 16-year-old female fans wearing gear in support of Cunningham&#8217;s position.
Despite the intimidation tactics, Gaines insists that Cunningham remains unshakable and uncancelable.

Riley Gaines

Riley Gaines Goes Off On WNBA, Says Staffer Tried To Take Away Sophie Cunningham Sign

Sean Hannity

WNBA

An ESPN commentator urged fans to listen to Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve’s pro-transgender comments, all while Reeve took to the court wearing a &#8220;Trans Kids Belong&#8221; shirt on Sunday.
During Sunday’s clash between the Lynx and the Indiana Fever, ESPN color analyst Rebecca Lobo didn&#8217;t hold back in hyping up the Minnesota coach&#8217;s political message.
&#8220;I would encourage anyone to go and listen to Cheryl Reeve&#8217;s comments; incredibly thoughtful, easy to find online. I would just encourage anyone to go and listen,&#8221; Lobo declared during the broadcast.
Play-by-play caller Ryan Ruocco pointed out that Reeve was sporting the pro-trans statement on her chest following a week of mounting tension. The wardrobe choice and broadcast plug came in the aftermath of comments made by Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, who ignited a league-wide culture war last month by speaking out against biological men competing in female athletics.
&#8220;I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn&#8217;t have to go against biological men,&#8221; Cunningham told <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wnba-star-breaks-with-league-on-explosive-issue">ESPN</a> in a profile, later defying online outrage with a blunt <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sophie-cunningham-triples-down-on-haters-with-ice-cold-instagram-post">follow-up</a> on Instagram: &#8220;I said what I said.&#8221;
The two opposing figures met face-to-face at center court for a pre-game chat on Sunday. While the mid-court meeting appeared cordial, Reeve had spent Saturday taking direct aim at the rhetoric surrounding the debate.
&#8220;It is not the case that we have, quote, biological men in girls’ locker rooms, the way it’s being phrased, the innuendo there that somehow transgender women are predators of some kind in the locker room,&#8221; Reeve fired back to reporters, pushing for inclusion while claiming &#8220;exclusion is not the answer.&#8221;
The rift highlights a growing divide inside the WNBA. Cunningham’s fiery stance has drawn enthusiastic rallies of supporters outside arenas in Seattle, Portland, and Minneapolis. It has also earned her backing from high-profile figures like female sports advocate Riley Gaines and White House Press Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/karoline-leavitt-rips-leftist-backlash-to-sophie-cunninghams-trans-sports-comments">Karoline Leavitt</a>.
However, the debate has boiled over into ugly arena confrontations. During a recent Fever road trip to Seattle, Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton was reprimanded after reportedly launching an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wnba-co-owner-accused-of-cursing-out-teen-girls-over-xx-xy-shirts?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=WNBA+Co-Owner+Accused+Of+Cursing+Out+Teen+Girls+Over+XX-XY+Shirts">expletive-laced tirade</a> against two 16-year-old female fans who were wearing gear in support of Cunningham&#8217;s position.
Meanwhile, Fever head coach Stephanie White <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sophie-cunninghams-coach-asked-where-she-stands-on-men-in-womens-sports?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Sophie+Cunningham%E2%80%99s+Coach+Asked+Where+She+Stands+On+Men+In+Women%E2%80%99s+Sports">threw up her hands</a> when asked where she stands on the issue, offering a classic corporate dodge. White claimed she wasn&#8217;t &#8220;educated enough from a scientific standpoint&#8221; to say whether biological males belong in women&#8217;s sports.
While leadership equivocates and ESPN announcers point fans toward progressive talking points, Cunningham remains steadfast in her position, proving that the hottest court in basketball right now is the culture war.

Cheryl Reeve/Sophie Cunningham

ESPN Praises WNBA Coach After Trans Sports Jab At Sophie Cunningham

Basketball

ESPN

Indiana Fever

Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever&#8217;s star guard and most well-known player in the WNBA, was asked Sunday to share her thoughts on men in women&#8217;s sports, a controversy that has erupted in the women&#8217;s basketball league following comments from Clark&#8217;s teammate Sophie Cunningham.
As Cunningham faces intense backlash from leftists over her comments on protecting women&#8217;s sports, Clark said the issue is not discussed in the Fever&#8217;s locker room.
&#8220;I think it&#8217;s for leagues and governing bodies to work with their athletes and find solutions, but our focus is on basketball. That&#8217;s what we talk about,&#8221; Clark said during her post-game press conference.
After her short answer, a reporter asked if she had any reaction to the controversy surrounding Cunningham.
&#8220;I just answered for you,&#8221; Clark replied.
Clark was pressed on the issue one day after Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sophie-cunninghams-coach-asked-where-she-stands-on-men-in-womens-sports?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=Sports&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Sophie+Cunningham%E2%80%99s+Coach+Asked+Where+She+Stands+On+Men+In+Women%E2%80%99s+Sports">pushed back</a> on Cunningham&#8217;s remarks on keeping men out of women&#8217;s sports.
“I don’t know that I would say that I’m educated enough from a scientific standpoint. I don’t ever believe that exclusion is an answer. I just don’t,” White told reporters.
Cunningham sparked discussion on the issue last month during an interview for a profile piece that was published by ESPN. In the interview, Cunningham was asked where she stands on men in women&#8217;s sports, and she addressed the matter head-on.
“I think that I am here to extend love,” she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wnba-star-breaks-with-league-on-explosive-issue?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=WNBA+Star+Breaks+With+League+On+Explosive+Issue">said</a>. “But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”
Her comments resulted in a wave of support from many Americans, including the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/karoline-leavitt-rips-leftist-backlash-to-sophie-cunninghams-trans-sports-comments">White House</a>, who oppose policies by schools, athletic associations, and professional leagues that allow men to compete against women. Cunningham&#8217;s comments were also met with backlash from many people on the Left, including WNBA players, coaches, and at least one team owner.
During a Fever game in Seattle last week, two young girls attended the game with XX-XY shirts and a sign supporting Cunningham and her defense of women-only sports. The young girls were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sophie-cunningham-rips-wnba-team-co-owner-for-harassing-teens-girls-with-xx-xy-shirts?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Sophie+Cunningham+Rips+WNBA+Team+Co-Owner+For+Harassing+Teen+Girls+With+XX-XY+Shirts">heckled</a> by some Seattle fans and berated by Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton, who reportedly called the teenage girls &#8220;f*cking insane.&#8221; Keaton was reprimanded by the Storm and suspended from attending the team&#8217;s next five home games.
“Bravo to those girls for standing up for what they believe. You’ll be hearing from me soon,” Cunningham said. “Truly embarrassing of the co-owner. Unfortunately shows the type of leader she is.”
Clark is familiar with being on the receiving end of harsh backlash. Ever since she came into the league in 2024 — bringing a following of loyal fans from her success in college at Iowa — Clark has been public enemy No. 1 for many WNBA players. The WNBA&#8217;s hatred for Clark is evident even in the star player&#8217;s third season. Last month, when players placed votes for the WNBA All-Star Game, they determined Clark wasn’t even among the top 10 best guards, despite Clark putting up impressive numbers and setting league records, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/latest-stunt-shows-just-how-much-wnba-hates-star-player-caitlin-clark?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Latest+Stunt+Shows+Just+How+Much+WNBA+Hates+Star+Player+Caitlin+Clark">reported</a>.
Clark has also brought unprecedented attention to the WNBA and helped drive record-breaking attendance, viewership, and merchandise sales.

Indiana Fever v Washington Mystics

WNBA Star Caitlin Clark Responds To Trans Sports Firestorm

Caitlin Clark

Was a public school counselor in Oregon participating in hate speech when he displayed two kids&#8217; books about the gender binary? That&#8217;s what a federal appeals court ruled last month.
The court determined Roderick E. Theis II violated hate speech legislation by showcasing the books “He is He” and &#8220;She is She.” It also ruled that displaying these books, which affirm the gender binary, was not protected under the First Amendment.
In the wake of the unreasonable ruling, the books&#8217; coauthor, Ryan Bomberger, spoke to The Daily Wire about the case and the work conservative Christians must do to save the country. He didn&#8217;t hold back.
The gender binary isn&#8217;t evil
Bomberger said “He is He” and “She is She,” which he cowrote with his wife Bethany, are rooted in love.
“We wanted to take this insane pronoun issue and just make something that spoke truth about the human condition and celebrate what it means to be a boy, and celebrate what it means to be a girl,” he said. “It celebrates motherhood, fatherhood, the means by which all of us exist. So, what&#8217;s more inclusive than a book that speaks to the &#8230; heterosexual self-identity of more than 90% of Americans? How is that not inclusive?”
Bomberger rejects the idea that the books could be seen as harmful in any way. 
“The books are so beautifully illustrated. They are diverse. As someone myself, I&#8217;m mixed white, black, part Asian, part Native American. I&#8217;m a mixture of all things,” he said. “It&#8217;s laughable that the school sees these books as being hostile in any way, shape, or form.” 
The school district isn&#8217;t just being unreasonable here. It&#8217;s hypocritical. Bomberger pointed out that many of the teachers showcased BLM or LGBT propaganda, which he called “highly discriminatory against the nuclear family, against fatherhood, against black conservatives” and “anti-science,” respectively.
“What&#8217;s laughable to me is this is the same school district that pushes things like &#8216;How To Be An Anti-Racist,&#8217; which has an animus toward white people, [and says] in fact, the only way to deal with past discrimination is present discrimination,” Bomberger said. “So that book violates Oregon&#8217;s law.”
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Battling in court
The fact that a scuffle over his commonsense books made it to court, he says, was by design. Reports said Theis, who worked for the InterMountain Education Service District for over 15 years, was fired after a teacher recorded him showing the books to some eighth graders. Bomberger says that the whole situation was a setup.
“There was one complaint from a teacher who only saw the covers. This teacher never even read the books — only saw the covers and objected to the covers,” Bomberger explained. “That teacher is the one that set up the two 8th graders who came and insisted on reading the books. It was not genuine interest. It was set up. That was the teacher that actually recorded the whole interaction, where Rod allowed them because they kept pressing him to read the books.”
Bomberger expressed sorrow about the recent ruling, arguing that it will set a bad precedent in the West Coast.
“My hope is that Alliance Defending Freedom does appeal it,&#8221; he said. &#8220;They have a very strong case.”
Though Theis’ appeal was rejected by the court, ADF lawyers have <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/fired-school-counselor-loses-again-after-free-speech-fight-over-gender-themed-books-his-office">promised</a> to “continue to defend Rod’s First Amendment freedom to express his views like other employees.”
Bomberger said the lower court misunderstood the case Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, in which the Supreme Court ruled that public schools could not stop a football coach from kneeling midfield to say a quiet prayer.
“They said that [Kennedy’s prayer] was a private, personal thing. It wasn&#8217;t private. It was very public,” Bomberger said. “It was during his duty and his role. So simply based upon that, I think they have a case and the fact that the First Amendment doesn&#8217;t get stripped from government employees when they walk onto taxpayer-funded property.”
When woke fights back
Bomberger also argued that the recent case shows that wokism is not dead, but simply has been rebranded, hiding in the shadows while it grows stronger.
“We need to be forever vigilant about where this stuff goes,” Bomberger said. “The public school system is so deeply rooted in ideologies that are anti-American, that are anti-science, and certainly in many cases that are anti-truth. So, we have to be aware that this is not something that&#8217;s going away anytime soon.”
The Left’s goal is to fake outrage, foster ignorance, and silence dissension, Bomberger said.
“Well, honestly, we hear the phrase all the time: &#8216;Ignorance is bliss,&#8217; and apparently, it&#8217;s a goal. It&#8217;s a virtue of the woke Left,” Bomberger said. “They want to pretend that they are in some sort of fascist society where they can&#8217;t get [their favorite] books.”
While Democrats hand-wring about book bans, they don&#8217;t seem to care when librarians make explicit material available to kids.
“They&#8217;re feigning outrage about fake book banning, but [they&#8217;re fine] when it comes to completely inappropriate content for children that is sexually explicit, that is violent and violent and gory, I mean the list goes on and on,” he said. “But it&#8217;s perfectly fine if it could be categorized as a diversity book — diversity being LGBTQ/DEI.”
Bomberger ended by calling on his fellow Christians to stand up and not be afraid to speak the truth.
“The most important thing, as a Christian, I see this first and foremost as a spiritual battle, not just this book battle, but the battle for objective truth,” Bomberger said. “First of all, don&#8217;t despair. There is always hope, but we have to be vigilant. We cannot leave the major influence of our children up to &#8230; the education establishment. We can&#8217;t leave it up to Hollywood, and we often do.”
“We&#8217;re called to love every human being, not every human doing,&#8221; he added. &#8220;So as Christians, we have to see the world differently, and we have to react differently.”
***
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This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
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How This Conservative Author Is Fighting A Real Book Ban

banned books

Books

Upstream

A Washington mother is removing her children from an elementary school that forced her daughter through a secret, explicit LGBT Pride-themed lesson.
The lesson reportedly occurred during a fourth-grade music class at Martha Lake Elementary in the Edmonds School District on June 15. Parents were not given any notice to opt out or any information about the lesson itself before their children were exposed to the curriculum, according to Maria Varchetto. 
 
“My daughter came home just so drastically upset the last week of school telling me that the music teacher decided to teach a whole curriculum about Pride history and Pride Month,” Varchetto <a href="https://www.kvi.com/2026/07/23/washington-mom-pulls-kids-from-elementary-school-after-pride-lesson-taught-in-music-class-without-parental-notice-or-opt-out/">told</a> Talk Radio 570 KVI, a conservative Washington radio station.
“I assumed I had probably missed an email asking for consent, but there was nothing,” Varchetto <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/washington-mother-pulls-children-school-pride-lesson-shown-music-class-without-notice">said</a> in communications with school administrators that she shared with Fox News. “No advanced notice, no opportunity to review the lesson, no information letting parents know this topic would be discussed. No option to request that our kids be allowed to opt out and participate in an alternative activity. There was nothing.”
According to Varchetto, her daughter was forced to watch a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBZqmZAgoxo">video</a> called “Why is PRIDE in JUNE?” from the channel Queer Kid Stuff that discussed the history of the gay movement and so-called bathroom rights for trans-identifying people. Her daughter said the class also watched videos of performances by LGBT singers such as Freddie Mercury of Queen and Lil Nas X, as well as Billy Porter dancing in a ball gown on “Sesame Street.”
Varchetto’s daughter said that students were also told they could identify as gay, lesbian, asexual, transgender, non-binary, or two-spirit.
“No handouts were sent home (which is typical for music class),” Varchetto told Fox News. The mother emailed administrators for a copy of the lesson materials, but she was told they could only be reviewed in person, not electronically.
“I need parents to be informed of this,” Varchetto said. “Parents have the right to know what was taught to their kids. Whether or not you agree with it or disagree is irrelevant. You don’t get to teach and go rogue on subjects that are this controversial without providing parents a notice to opt out.”
The principal explained to Varchetto in a meeting that the Pride lesson was not district-approved curriculum and that teachers are allowed to make their own lessons. The principal said that the music teacher tied a lesson to a month’s theme, such as &#8220;Black History Month&#8221; for February or &#8220;Hispanic Heritage Month&#8221; for September. 
Varchetto said she told the principal, “Okay, that makes sense. Those are cultures. Those are not gender identities. Big difference there.”
The principal gave Varchetto a list of the subjects covered in the music class, and Varchetto reviewed the end-of-year summary that the music teacher sent to parents. Neither document mentioned the &#8220;Pride Month&#8221; lesson.
The principal reportedly explained that the school was apprehensive about telling parents about the lesson because it “would just isolate the LGBTQ community, making them feel like people can opt out of their content.”
Unsatisfied with how the school handled the situation, Varchetto said she gave the school several weeks to notify parents before making her concerns public. When no notice was posted, she sent an email to district administrators requesting that her children be transferred from the school.  
Varchetto ultimately decided to put her kids through hybrid homeschooling. 
“We are 100% removing our kids from this school as I have no trust in the leadership,” Varchetto said.
“I feel mad they did this, mad they hid it,” Varchetto added. “I feel insulted, offended, angry, and sad that my kids are now being taken out of a lifestyle they&#8217;ve grown to love, away from the friendships they&#8217;ve built, all because this one teacher didn&#8217;t care to ask permission and a principal lied and hid it.”

Screenshot 2026-07-30 at 11.34.13 AM

Family Erupts Over Fourth Grade Trans Lesson

Elementary Schools

Pride Month

Public Schools

Washington

The Trump administration announced Monday that it is taking enforcement action against two public school districts accused of concealing students&#8217; gender identity information from parents, warning the districts could face lawsuits and the loss of federal funding for violating federal privacy law.
The Department of Education said it has partnered with the Justice Department to pursue enforcement against Anne Arundel County Public Schools in Maryland. It also gave Ann Arbor Public Schools in Michigan until August 10 to explain why similar action should not move forward. 
The investigations center on the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which guarantees parents access to their children&#8217;s education records. The Trump administration argues that school policies directing staff to withhold information about a student&#8217;s gender identity or social transition from parents violate those protections.
&#8220;As a mother and a grandmother, it is unconscionable that any school district would hide the most sensitive information about children in their care from their own parents,&#8221; Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a <a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/trump-administration-cracks-down-school-districts-secretly-transitioning-students-and-hiding-it-parents">statement</a>. &#8220;This is not only an affront to basic moral principles, but also to parents&#8217; rights under federal law.&#8221;
&#8220;Today, ED and DOJ are putting districts on notice that we will use every tool available to hold them to account for this egregious behavior,&#8221; she added. &#8220;Under the Trump Administration, ED and DOJ are working together to vigorously uphold parents&#8217; federal protections, and we will work to ensure that no parent is ever kept in the dark about important matters relating to their children.&#8221;
According to the Education Department, its Student Privacy Policy Office received complaints from parents in Anne Arundel County who discovered their daughter was being referred to by male pronouns at school. The parents said they learned about the situation only after receiving an email from school staff.
When the parents sought information about what the school described as their child&#8217;s &#8220;gender transition,&#8221; the principal allegedly refused to provide details while an assistant principal declined to turn over relevant records, prompting the federal investigation. The Education Department said Anne Arundel County improperly classified information about a student&#8217;s so-called &#8220;gender identity&#8221; as confidential medical information that could not be shared with parents. The agency said those practices unlawfully prevented parents from exercising their rights under FERPA.
The action comes weeks after the same parents <a href="https://www.thebanner.com/education/k-12-schools/arundel-schools-transgender-children-policies-lawsuit-6BKCHH25O5HP7FLPPGNF7RQFWU/">filed a federal lawsuit</a> against the district with representation from America First Legal, the conservative organization founded by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. The lawsuit claims school officials socially transitioned their daughter by using a masculine name and pronouns without notifying or obtaining consent from her parents. The Education Department said it is working with the Justice Department&#8217;s Civil Rights Division to pursue enforcement against the Maryland district, including potential judicial proceedings and termination of federal funding.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said the administration intends to aggressively enforce the law. &#8220;School districts that hide information from parents are violating federal law,&#8221; Dhillon said. &#8220;FERPA is not optional, and any districts that attempt to bypass or distort its requirements should expect immediate federal action.&#8221;
Additionally, the administration found Ann Arbor Public Schools&#8217; policy requiring employees to conceal a student&#8217;s &#8220;transgender status&#8221; from parents likely violates FERPA. Federal officials also questioned the district&#8217;s practice of maintaining records related to a student&#8217;s &#8220;gender identity&#8221; in a separate filing system. 
The Education Department said the cases build on a broader effort by the Trump administration to strengthen parental rights. Earlier this year, the department launched statewide investigations into policies that allegedly concealed students&#8217; &#8220;gender identity&#8221; from parents and issued a finding against the California Department of Education over the use of secret &#8220;gender support plans&#8221; and hidden student records.
In March 2025, the department sent a nationwide <a href="https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/sites/default/files/resource_document/file/Secretary_Comb_SPPO_DCL_Annual%20Notice_0.pdf">letter</a> reminding state education officials that concealing a child&#8217;s &#8220;gender identity&#8221; from parents was a priority enforcement issue under FERPA.
FERPA violations can ultimately result in the loss of federal education funding, though that penalty has historically been used sparingly.

Transgender Symbol and Pencils With The Color of Lgbt Flag

Trump Admin Takes Action Against School Districts Hiding ‘Transgender Status’ From Parents

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