Public schools teaching children about sexuality and transgenderism without parental consent have been put on notice by the Department of Justice.
The Justice Department&#8217;s Civil Rights Division <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-launches-investigations-concerning-gender-ideology-pre-k-12-schools-36" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> Thursday it was investigating 36 Illinois school districts to find out if they have sexual orientation and gender ideology content in their pre-k and K-12 curricula, noting these districts receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal funding.
“This Department of Justice is determined to put an end to local school authorities keeping parents in the dark about how sexuality and gender ideology are being pushed in classrooms,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon.
“Supreme Court precedent leaves no doubt: parents have the fundamental right and primary authority to direct the care, upbringing, and education of their children. This includes exempting their children from ideological instruction that contradicts their values or decisions about their children’s health and best interests.”
The Supreme Court sided with parents when it <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/supreme-court-sides-with-parents-says-schools-cant-mandate-lgbt-curricula" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled</a> in June 2025 that parents have the right to opt their children out of LGBT programs in public schools.
If Illinois school districts are discovered to be teaching students sexual orientation and gender identity content, the DOJ will determine if parents have been given the chance to opt out of the programming. The department will also be investigating whether students can access bathrooms and locker rooms based on biological sex and whether only biological females can compete on girls&#8217; sports teams.
Shannon Adcock, founder and president of the parental rights group <a href="https://www.awakeil.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Awake Illinois</a>, called the investigation a &#8220;huge win&#8221; for parents.
&#8220;The DOJ’s launch of investigations into 36 Illinois school districts for pushing gender ideology in Pre-K-12 classrooms without proper parental notification is a huge win for parental rights and child protection,&#8221; Adcock told The Daily Wire. &#8220;For years, groups like Awake Illinois have been on the front lines demanding transparency, opt-out rights, and adherence to Title IX — protecting single-sex spaces, girls’ sports, and biological reality in our schools,&#8221; Adcock told The Daily Wire.
&#8220;Every district under scrutiny should immediately restore parental authority and biological fairness,&#8221; she added. &#8220;We won’t stop until our kids’ schools prioritize truth, safety, and parental involvement over ideology.&#8221;

US-POLITICS-JUSTICE-EDUCATION-LGBTQ

Justice Department Investigating Schools That Secretly Teach Children About Transgenderism

gender ideology

LGBT

Public Schools

A transgender-identifying man in Wiconisco Township, Pennsylvania, made a video complaining about being unable to afford “bottom surgery” in the United States.
Stephanie Fritsch, an election official who moved from Las Vegas to a small town in Pennsylvania after “transitioning,” was discovered ranting about not having sufficient funds to mutilate his body domestically. 
“I have tried for a very long time to get my bottom surgery,” Fritsch <a href="https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/2046244642673336479">said</a> in a video surfaced by Libs of TikTok. “Unfortunately, it’s been out of my affordability level for a very long time.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Stephanie Fritsch is in charge of elections in Wiconisco Township, Pennsylvania.
He complains that he might have to travel to Thailand to chop off his d*ck because it’s too expensive in America
This elected official oversees elections… <a href="https://t.co/0O5ZG9kZMi">pic.twitter.com/0O5ZG9kZMi</a>
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2046244642673336479?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Bottom surgery generally refers to operations on the genitals intended to bring a person&#8217;s physical anatomy in line with their gender identity. He went on to say he’s disabled and on assistance, but still can’t afford the surgery he wants.
“I’m grateful to have Medicare, but at the end of the day, it’s not enough,” he went on. “&#8230;the bottom line is, it would be cheaper for me to go to Thailand or Canada to get my bottom surgery than in America.” 
Fritsch, who <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DXBkN6LDUvB/">describes</a> his political affiliation as &#8220;non partisan,&#8221; said he’s trying to “raise some money” to travel abroad for the surgery.
“It’s kind of hard to unpack the reality that I have to fly halfway around the world to get a medically necessary procedure instead of getting it done in America. Could you imagine having to go to get a procedure in another country?” Fritsch complained.
The video circulated widely online, prompting criticism from some commenters who questioned his role as an election official.
“This man obviously has some issues. Why has he been elected to oversee anything. He can’t even oversee his own mental health!” one person <a href="https://x.com/Donna0616579586/status/2046576440372781459">wrote</a>.
“There are so many things wrong with this. First, that he is ‘in charge of elections,’ much less anything. Then, calling this elective surgery a ‘medically necessary surgery.’ We have got to quit going along with these people and their mental illness,” another X commenter <a href="https://x.com/Gabriel44678059/status/2046342100719980814">agreed</a>.
“How does anyone vote for a person like this? Let alone a majority of people. This person needs mental help,” a third commenter <a href="https://x.com/Nameless0816/status/2046358747778539969">said</a>.
Fritsch previously <a href="https://www.unclosetedmedia.com/p/ahead-of-the-philadelphia-debate">told</a> Uncloseted Media that he has experienced hostility in his community, saying, “Being a public transgender woman, my life is in jeopardy all the time.”

Stephanie Fritsch

Trans Election Official Complains ‘Bottom Surgery’ Costs Too Much In U.S.

Election

Pennsylvania

Transgender

Tennessee leaders made clear that the state values the nuclear family far more than any leftist virtue signaling.
Republican Governor Bill Lee signed a resolution on April 9 designating June as “Nuclear Family Month.” For years, June has been known as Pride Month, when numerous businesses and organizations celebrate every sexuality except heterosexuality and lecture Americans about “acceptance” and “diversity.”
But this year, Tennessee has made June all about traditional families and made clear that the “nuclear family, consisting of one husband, one wife, and any biological, adopted, or fostered children, is God’s design for familial structure and has been the bedrock of society since the creation of the world.”
The resolution also takes a sledgehammer to the leftist pet projects of population control, and instead, prioritizes the growth and development of the traditional family in Tennessee.
“Tennessee’s values do not align with the humanistic, globalist ideologies of the World Health Organization, the United Nations, and like-minded organizations that fight for population control through the means of promoting sterilization and abortion practices,” the Tennessee resolution continues, adding, “The nuclear family is under attack in our beloved State and nation, and it is our responsibility to uplift, protect, and support values that help Tennessee prosper.”
Of course, leftists were not happy with Tennessee after Governor Lee signed the resolution. LGBT activists raged against the language put forward in the resolution, giving Tennesseans one more reason to celebrate what makes their state so great.
Tennessee’s traditional, family-oriented resolution sets the tone for a state that has led the nation in pushing back against radical leftist gender ideology. In the past few years, Tennessee — the home of The Daily Wire — has banned life-altering gender procedures on children, prohibited schools from hiding children’s gender “transitions” from parents, prevented boys from competing in girls sports, and ensuring that girls don’t have to share bathrooms and locker rooms with boys who believe they are the opposite sex.
Tennessee has proven to be a state that values traditional morality and common sense, something every state could use a dose of, especially that one big state on the West Coast that everybody is fleeing.
The Daily Wire Shop is celebrating Tennessee’s latest great move and inviting you to do the same by wearing our <a href="https://store.dailywire.com/products/make-america-tennessee-hat?srsltid=AfmBOoq8bXW6ZoNxGr13wvt2FGeFoIyXMpntBef240FJOtLhpWk7m5OB" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Make America Tennessee Hat</a>. Get a hat in white with <a href="https://store.dailywire.com/products/make-america-tennessee-hat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tennessee orange</a> or go with the <a href="https://store.dailywire.com/products/make-america-tennessee-hat?variant=43476671922236" target="_blank" rel="noopener">classic camo and rock it at the range</a>, the rally, the tailgate, or just down Main Street. Wherever you go, make it clear that you stand with Tennessee, you stand for sanity, and you stand for America.
<a href="https://store.dailywire.com/products/make-america-tennessee-hat?srsltid=AfmBOoq8bXW6ZoNxGr13wvt2FGeFoIyXMpntBef240FJOtLhpWk7m5OB"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1081087 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/DWS-MakeAmericaTN-NuclearFamily-4x5-1-461x576.jpg" alt="" width="461" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/DWS-MakeAmericaTN-NuclearFamily-4x5-1-461x576.jpg 461w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/DWS-MakeAmericaTN-NuclearFamily-4x5-1-240x300.jpg 240w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/DWS-MakeAmericaTN-NuclearFamily-4x5-1-768x960.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/DWS-MakeAmericaTN-NuclearFamily-4x5-1.jpg 1230w" sizes=" (max-width: 461px) 100vw, 461px" /></a>

Tennessee

From Pride To Principles: Tennessee Flips The Script On LGBT’s June Takeover

Daily Wire Shop

Pride Month

A soap company that boasts of its organic products has gone all in on pushing transgenderism.
Dr. Bronner’s, the company that makes “Magic Soap,” believes that men and women can magically switch their genders, and it has an <a href="https://info.drbronner.com/all-one-blog/author/transrights/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">entire team</a> made up of “trans and nonbinary employees” who are dedicated to making “funding decisions for Dr. Bronner’s trans rights funding portfolio.”
In late March, the soap company <a href="https://info.drbronner.com/all-one-blog/2026/03/trans-day/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">honored</a> “Trans Day of Visibility” and condemned the Trump administration and conservative states that have imposed policies and passed laws to protect children and women from harmful trans-affirming practices.
While the majority of Americans have no idea when “Trans Day of Visibility” is or why it’s even on some calendars, Dr. Bronner’s dedicated nearly 800 words on its website to celebrating the obscure LGBT holiday. The company also directed readers to eight LGBT advocacy organizations, including organizations that push for gender procedures on children.
“Trans lives in America and beyond are more vulnerable than ever due to rightwing governments’ attacks on human rights, efforts to erase trans and nonbinary people from civic participation, and the increasing obstacles to accessing healthcare, public services, and public spaces,” the company <a href="https://info.drbronner.com/all-one-blog/2026/03/trans-day/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a>. “Dr. Bronner’s is proud to support trans-led organizations that are dedicated to trans liberation, both locally and nationally.”
Among those organizations supported by Dr. Bronner’s was the Trans Youth Emergency Project, which <a href="https://southernequality.org/tyep/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exists</a> to help parents find access to life-altering gender procedures for their gender-confused children. Another group highlighted by the soap company was TransFamily Support Services, which <a href="https://transfamilysos.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> that it guides gender-confused children and their families to navigate the health care and insurance systems in their quest for gender surgeries.
“Since the change in administration in January 2025, trans rights have decreased dramatically, particularly in the realm of access to public spaces and healthcare. Last year America broke its own record for the sixth consecutive year in number of anti-trans legislation on the federal and state level,” Dr. Bronner’s “Trans Rights Funding Team” <a href="https://info.drbronner.com/all-one-blog/2026/03/trans-day/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>.
The company also condemned the Trump administration for working to prevent trans-identifying men from competing against women, including at the Olympics.
Americans are <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/06/03/pride-month-corporate-sponsorship-poll-survey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">growing</a> increasingly skeptical of companies diving into LGBT talking points, and the vast majority of Americans <a href="https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/3991685-majority-of-americans-oppose-gender-affirming-care-for-minors-trans-women-participating-in-sports-poll/#:~:text=Briefing%20Room-,Majority%20of%20Americans%20oppose%20gender%2Daffirming%20care%20for%20minors%2C%20trans,legislation%20affecting%20the%20LGBTQ%20community." target="_blank" rel="noopener">oppose</a> gender procedures on children. But Dr. Bronner’s decided to make its support of “Trans Visibility” a huge deal and bash conservatives in the process.
At <a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremy’s Razors</a>, we’re dedicated to making quality products, including some great <a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/products/clean-scented-hand-soap?utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hand soap</a> and <a href="https://www.jeremysrazors.com/products/oatmeal-citrus-body-soap?utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bar soap</a>, without any radical leftism attached to our business.
Don’t want to give your money to companies that support gender procedures on children, or to companies that are overtly hostile to conservative values? Jeremy’s Razors has you covered.
Jeremy’s Razors pays to bring you stories exposing woke ideology because other brands won’t.

Woke Soap

Soap Company Celebrates Transgenderism, Condemns Conservative Push To Protect Children

Jeremy's Razors

Outrage erupted this week after a gay Grammy Award-winning singer appeared to mock his baby who cried out for his mom in a viral video.
A <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXFxEo1key5/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading">video posted Wednesday</a> by country singer Shane McAnally shows a baby being asked if he wants his “dada” or “papa” before he begins crying after being told “there is no mama.” McAnally, who has won four Grammy Awards, has previously made fun of his baby for being “homophobic.”
“Hey, hey.  Who do you want? Dada or Papa?” McAnally’s baby is asked in the video before he appears to reply “mama&#8221; as the men laugh.
“No, Mama, do you want Dada or Pop?” the baby is asked again. “Who do you want? Dada or Pop?”
The baby again appears to ask for his mother before the man says, “There is no mama. I&#8217;m so sorry.&#8221; After the baby starts crying, the two men laugh at the reaction as they tell him he has &#8220;two choices,&#8221; but no mother. The video was captioned “who’s gonna tell him?” with the hashtags “comedy” and “standup.”
The video quickly racked up tens of thousands of views after it was posted to X and hundreds of comments on Instagram with many criticizing the men for laughing at the baby’s desire for his mom.
“The most horrifying video I&#8217;ve ever seen in my life,” said Daily Wire host Michael Knowles.
“This video ignites disgust and anger on a primal level. If you don’t feel it, you’re broken. This baby just wants Mommy,” <a href="https://x.com/robbystarbuck/status/2044951048352133273">said</a> conservative commentator Robby Starbuck. “The gleeful way these guys respond to the sad baby is just evil. I’ve seen this cry before, and the sweet embrace of Mom as she runs in. Babies need their Mom!”
Another post from December 2025 pinned to McAnally’s Instagram features a video with the baby making a weird face when he is told he has “two dads.” The post is captioned “6 week old homophobic baby.”
“This is not the first time Tony winning musician Shane McAnally has made a joke out of his son&#8217;s instinctive desire for his mother, rather than two fathers,” said Concerned Women for America. “Children deserve better than this.”

Baby’s Instinctive Reaction Goes Viral But Reaction From Gay Dads Sparks Outrage

Celebrities

Children

LGBTQ

Social Issues

U.S.

Tennessee has had enough of LGBT Pride Month and will now recognize June as &#8220;Nuclear Family Month.&#8221;
Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee signed a <a href="https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/HJR0182.pdf">resolution</a> this month that designates June as a month for the state to celebrate the nuclear family, which the resolution defines as a husband, a wife, and any biological or adopted children. The resolution easily passed the Republican-dominated state legislature, clearing the House 72-18 last year and passing the Senate 26-4 last month.
&#8220;The nuclear family, consisting of one husband, one wife, and any biological, adopted, or fostered children, is God&#8217;s design for familial structure and has been the bedrock of society since the creation of the world,&#8221; the resolution states.
&#8220;Tennessee&#8217;s values do not align with the humanistic, globalist ideologies of the World Health Organization, the United Nations, and like-minded organizations that fight for population control through the means of promoting sterilization and abortion practices,&#8221; the Tennessee resolution continues, adding, &#8220;The nuclear family is under attack in our beloved State and nation, and it is our responsibility to uplift, protect, and support values that help Tennessee prosper.&#8221;
The resolution highlights the devastating results that children often reap from growing up in fatherless homes. It also highlights a 2016 study, which found that of a sample of 56 school shooters, 82% of them &#8220;were raised in an unstable family environment or without both biological parents together.&#8221;
Leftist organizations expressed outrage after Lee signed the resolution last week. The LGBT activist organization GLAAD called Tennessee lawmakers who passed the resolution &#8220;clueless.&#8221;
“The strongest families are grounded by love,&#8221; a GLAAD spokesman <a href="https://www.advocate.com/politics/states/tennessee-nuclear-family-month">told</a> the LGBT news outlet The Advocate. &#8220;Lawmakers trying to exclude and intentionally harm some families should be recognized as actively harming all by not focusing their time working for an inclusive Tennessee where all are welcome and can succeed.”
June has been nationally recognized as Pride Month since a declaration signed by former President Bill Clinton in 1999. Following the Supreme Court&#8217;s landmark decision in favor of gay marriage in 2015, LGBT Pride Month became increasingly popular, with numerous American organizations and businesses pushing LGBT themes and messages throughout June.
Last year, however, as many Americans pushed back against the Left&#8217;s constant trumpeting of LGBT talking points and its embrace of transgender procedures for children, some companies dialed back their messaging during Pride Month. The election of President Donald Trump in November 2024 also reflected Americans&#8217; growing frustration with the Democratic Party&#8217;s adoption of LGBT talking points.
Tennessee was among the first states to ban gender procedures on children, prohibit schools from hiding children&#8217;s gender &#8220;transitions&#8221; from parents, and crack down on drag queen performances in public or in settings where children are present.

Tennessee Nuclear Family Month

‘God’s Design’: Red State Swaps Pride Month For ‘Nuclear Family Month’

Legal advisers have been telling migrants from Muslim countries to pose as gay to be granted asylum in Britain, with some lawyers going as far as coaching migrants on how to fabricate photos and come up with their own back stories, the BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c937wldkkw8o">reported</a> on Wednesday.
The BBC&#8217;s undercover investigation revealed how legal advisers are raking in cash by helping migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh apply for asylum by claiming to be gay, which would put them at risk of persecution in their home countries.
One BBC reporter went undercover to a meeting organized by a group that claims to support gay and lesbian asylum seekers. Around 175 people attended the meeting put on by Worcester LGBT, but it appeared that none of them actually identified as lesbian or gay.
&#8220;Most of the people here are not gays,&#8221; one man said, according to the BBC.
Another man replied, &#8220;Nobody is a gay here. Not even 1% are gay. Not even 0.01% are gay.&#8221;
The BBC reporter posed as a migrant seeking asylum and met multiple times with an adviser for Worcester LGBT named Tanisa. For their first meeting, the reporter met with Tanisa at her house and was invited to her bedroom to chat. Tanisa sat on her bed as she told the undercover journalist that he should apply for asylum as a gay man, but the reporter quickly informed Tanisa that he wasn&#8217;t gay.
&#8220;Listen to me. There is nobody who is real. There is only one way out in order to live here now and that is the very method everyone is adopting,&#8221; Tanisa replied.
&#8220;At the moment there is only one route from where you can get a visa and it is open,&#8221; she added. &#8220;It is the asylum visa &#8230; it is on human rights and it is called gay case or same sex. There is no hope for any other visa.&#8221;
Tanisa stressed that the undercover reporter would have to convince the U.K. government of his asylum claim by memorizing a made-up story and coming up with fake photos.
&#8220;The approach we will take is this: I will fully prepare you for the interview by compiling a comprehensive package for you, including photographs of you at clubs, various other pieces of supporting evidence, an organizational letter, and additional letters of support, so that you are completely ready when I send you in,&#8221; Tanisa said.
The cost of the legal advice came out to 2,500 British pounds, or 3,385 U.S. dollars, but Tanisa said that price would increase if the U.K. government rejected the asylum claim and the case was appealed. The phony asylum seeker then asked about his &#8220;wife,&#8221; who was still in Pakistan.
&#8220;If you call her here, then we will apply for her asylum as well,&#8221; Tanisa said. &#8220;Once she&#8217;s here, we can make her a lesbian.&#8221;
The LGBT sham could bring in as much as 7,000 pounds, or 9,480 U.S. dollars, per case for some legal firms, the BBC reported.
The BBC also interviewed one man who arrived in Britain from Pakistan in 2011 on a student visa. When his visa expired, he sought help from a lawyer who advised him to claim to be gay and attend Pride marches and gay clubs to bolster his story. In that case, the migrant&#8217;s attempt at asylum was unsuccessful, and he moved back to Pakistan. That migrant, however, told the BBC that three of his friends from Pakistan successfully obtained asylum in Britain by lying about their sexuality.
The United Kingdom has seen a massive spike in Muslim migrants in the past decade, and hundreds of those migrants have claimed LGBT identities in their asylum claims. Britain&#8217;s Home Office <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c937wldkkw8o">reported</a> that 578 Pakistanis claimed to be LGBT in their asylum claims in 2023 alone. Another 175 asylum-seekers from Bangladesh and 103 from Nigeria claimed to be LGBT.

Gay Muslim in England

‘Make Her A Lesbian’: Lefty Lawyers Caught Coaching Migrants On Being Gay To Gain Asylum

England

Migrants

Muslims

A Bay Area coffee shop chain is reportedly facing backlash from LGBT activists after a new corporate protocol was handed down. 
Customers are outraged that the company CEO, Mahesh Sadarangani, has ordered the removal of Pride flags at certain locations in pursuit of an “inclusive” atmosphere.
“At Philz, we have always believed everyone who walks through our doors deserves to feel welcome and safe, and that belief is at the core of everything we do. Our longstanding support of the LGBTQIA+ community is unchanged. We are working toward creating a more consistent, inclusive experience across all our stores, including removing a variety of flags and other decor,” Sadarangani said in a statement. 
“This is a change in how our stores look, not in who we are. Our allyship runs deeper than what is on our walls. It shows up in who we hire, how we treat one another and in our annual Pride Month Unity celebration, which returns this June as it has every year. Unity is fundamental to how we operate,” he added.
A Philz manager at one San Francisco location <a href="https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/petition-circulates-claiming-philz-coffee-asked-stores-to-remove-pride-flags/">told</a> KRON4 News that Sadarangani had told store leadership to consider whether in-store displays make all customers feel included during a recent company summit. According to the outlet, employees at multiple Bay Area locations said they have not been asked to take down Pride flags.
Despite the executive’s stated commitment to LGBT causes, leftist activists were melting down online and started a petition in an attempt to have the flag removal decision reversed.
As of Friday afternoon, a <a href="https://www.change.org/p/urge-philz-coffee-to-keep-pride-flags-up">petition</a> created by “Philz Coffee Baristas” had more than 4,000 signatures. “In today&#8217;s society, businesses have an essential role in fostering inclusivity and support, and displaying the pride flag is a simple yet remarkably powerful demonstration of that role,” the description said in part. 
“Removing these flags risks alienating a core group of team members and loyal customers who see Philz not just as a coffee shop, but as a place where they are embraced and celebrated for who they are.”
Some customers interviewed on the street were also outraged, saying they would “boycott” the business if the decision wasn’t reversed.
Philz Coffee was founded in San Francisco in 2003. It operates more than 60 locations, mostly in California, with a few in Chicago. 
The company made headlines in 2025 when the private equity firm Freeman Spogli &amp; Co. bought it for $145 million, prompting complaints from many customers. Some commenters blame the new ownership for the revised Pride flag policy.

Philz Coffee

Coffee Chain Ditches Politics To Be Inclusive And Still Dems Rage

Business

Coffee

Pride

Pride Flag

The Chicago Bulls released guard Jaden Ivey on Monday after Ivey posted multiple videos on social media, calling out the NBA&#8217;s celebration of LGBT &#8220;unrighteousness&#8221; and speaking about his Christian faith.
Ivey, who is averaging over eight points per game this season, was dropped by the Bulls just a month after he arrived in Chicago due to a trade with the Detroit Pistons. In one video Ivey posted on Instagram on Monday, the guard ripped the NBA for celebrating LGBT &#8220;Pride&#8221; month.
&#8220;The world can proclaim LGBTQ, right?&#8221; Ivey <a href="https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/2038738011270316391">said</a>. &#8220;They proclaim &#8216;Pride Month&#8217; in the NBA. They proclaim it. They show it to the world. They say, &#8216;Come join us for Pride Month to celebrate unrighteousness.&#8217; They proclaim it. They proclaim it on the billboards. They proclaim it on the streets. Unrighteousness.&#8221;
In another video that Ivey recorded while on an airplane, he called out NBA star Stephen Curry and questioned Curry&#8217;s Christian faith.
&#8220;He&#8217;s not even surrendered and y&#8217;all believe he&#8217;s a Christian. Y&#8217;all believe he&#8217;s a Christian because he wrote Philippians 4:13. Ya&#8217;ll think he&#8217;s a Christian, but he&#8217;s cursing just like the world. &#8230; He don&#8217;t know Jesus and I pray he comes to the truth,&#8221; Ivey said.
The Bulls announced on Monday afternoon that the team was releasing Ivey &#8220;due to conduct detrimental to the team.&#8221; Bulls head coach Billy Donovan told reporters shortly after the team&#8217;s decision that he didn&#8217;t want to get into details about Ivey&#8217;s social media posts. Donovan added that in his conversations with Ivey, the player has been focused on trying to rehab after suffering a knee injury and said the team hoped Ivey would be part of the roster for the &#8220;long term&#8221; after he was traded from Detroit.
&#8220;Organizationally, there’s certain standards I think we want to have as an organization and live up to those each and every day,&#8221; Donovan <a href="https://x.com/JaredWeissNBA/status/2038751592057294936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2038751592057294936%7Ctwgr%5Ee795ca8f1b3bb021752081dacccc890210ee6a36%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sportingnews.com%2Fus%2Fnba%2Fnews%2Fwhat-happened-jaden-ivey-bulls-release%2F2bd343bb5e15d6d88ce54c84">said</a>, adding, &#8220;Everybody comes with their own personal experiences, right? But we have to all be professional, there has to be a high level of respect for one another, and we&#8217;ve got to help each other and be accountable to those standards.&#8221;
Ivey responded in another social media video after the Bulls dropped him.
&#8220;They said my conduct is detrimental to the team, right? Why didn&#8217;t they just say we don&#8217;t agree with his stance on LGBTQ? Why didn&#8217;t they say that?&#8221; Ivey <a href="https://x.com/robbystarbuck/status/2038800068837359978">asked</a>. &#8220;How is it conduct detrimental to the team? What did I do to the team? What did I do to the players? I did nothing but practice with them, play with them, pass the ball to them, [be] a good teammate to them.&#8221;
&#8220;So why is it that the NBA and the Chicago Bulls say I&#8217;m detrimental to the team? How? Because I believe in the truth? Because I know Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life?&#8221; he added.
Some Christian athletes have come out in defense of Ivey after he was released by the Bulls. Patriots star running back TreVeyon Henderson <a href="https://x.com/TreVeyonH4/status/2038786657608941846">reposted</a> a clip of Ivey&#8217;s comments about gay &#8220;Pride&#8221; alongside a Bible verse from Matthew 5:10, which states, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Henderson&#8217;s coach, Mike Vrabel, was <a href="https://x.com/LosTalksPats/status/2038994093905485826">asked</a> about the running back&#8217;s support for Ivey and told reporters that he wants players like Henderson to express what they believe, but added that he wants to &#8220;make sure that they’re educated.&#8221;
&#8220;We want to be inclusive. Everything we want to do, we want to provide an environment for people to feel comfortable, but also to share their personal beliefs. And also, we represent the team, and we represent the organization,&#8221; Vrabel added.
New York Jets cornerback Azareyeh Thomas also posted support for Ivey and his stance against LGBT &#8220;Pride&#8221; celebrations.
&#8220;The world will try to make sin look normal and righteousness look strange. Believer or not, every single person on earth will soon have an appointment before Jesus. So if living for Christ makes us look crazy or &#8216;weird,&#8217; that&#8217;s okay because it isn&#8217;t strange to Christ. When it’s all said and done, we’ll give an account to an audience of One. (Romans 14:12, 2 Cor. 5:10),&#8221; Thomas <a href="https://x.com/Azareyehthomas/status/2038740853229850794">wrote</a>. “&#8217;Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness…&#8217; Isaiah 5:20.&#8221;
Miami Dolphins long snapper Blake Ferguson also publicly <a href="https://x.com/blakeferguson48/status/2038830950403158285">backed</a> Ivey after the Bulls player was released.
Former New Orleans Saints tight end and outspoken Christian Benjamin Watson <a href="https://x.com/BenjaminSWatson/status/2038798555259818143">said</a> he expects the Bulls to clarify what exactly led to Ivey&#8217;s release.
&#8220;Conduct detrimental covers a host of actions. It’s a catch all term for everything from being late to curfew, to saying the wrong thing to the media, to fighting in the locker room. It allows clubs to discipline players without specifying certain actions. I expect the Bulls to clarify if it also includes using the term &#8216;unrighteousness.&#8217; If so that’s an even bigger problem,&#8221; Watson said.
Ivey has recently become more outspoken about his Christian faith and has even opened up about his struggles with depression this season. After Ivey was kept on the bench for an entire month despite being healthy in February, the guard told reporters that because of his faith, he &#8220;wasn&#8217;t the same player as he used to be.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m not the J.I. I used to be. The old J.I. is dead,&#8221; Ivey said. &#8220;I&#8217;m alive in Christ no matter what the basketball setting is.&#8221;
Ivey also <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7159179/2026/03/30/jaden-ivey-waived-bulls-nba-pride-month/">faced criticism</a> for some of his responses to people who commented on his Instagram videos. In one instance, a person asked the NBA player about going to confession, and Ivey replied by writing, “Catholicism is a false religion. And is not the true Doctrine of Christ. [It] does not lead to salvation in Jesus Christ.”
Another person commented on Ivey&#8217;s video and wrote, &#8220;Sending prayers. Detroit misses you.&#8221; Ivey responded to that comment, writing, &#8220;God does not hear your Prayer if you are a sinner.&#8221;

Jaden Ivey/TreVeyon Henderson/Azareyeh Thomas

NBA Team Drops Player Over Gay Pride Comments, Sparks Backlash From Christian Athletes

Bulls Drop Player After He Calls Out NBA's Gay Pride. Here's How Christian Athletes Have Responded.

Chicago

“Bridgerton” Season 5 will feature an interracial “queer love story,” and fans have thoughts.
The popular historical drama has a cult following of fans obsessed with the overall look and feel of the show, but since it airs on Netflix, it was only a matter of time before progressive themes were jammed into Regency-era England. 
The short teaser trailer for Season 5 shows Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd) and her cousin-in-law, Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza), standing side by side, almost holding hands. “Next season love begins again,” the text of the video says. 
“Do not fret, dearest readers, for a certain countess shall find love again &#8230; Bridgerton Season 5 is now in production,” the YouTube description says. This will be the first major storyline of a same-sex relationship on the series. 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Bridgerton Season 5 | Official Announcement | Netflix" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qb79JSVmOJc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Reactions on social media questioned the decision, especially in terms of historical accuracy.
“Netflix is gonna Netflix …,” one person <a href="https://x.com/TimelessTrvlr/status/2036592179703935153">observed</a>. 
“This show absolutely ruined the books,” another commenter <a href="https://x.com/pitdesi/status/2036525279548788999?s=43">agreed</a>.
“I am sick and tired of Netflix turning everything woke. It really didn’t have to be this way,” a third commenter <a href="https://x.com/AetherRev/status/2036489190251307159">shared</a>.
“The fifth season of Bridgerton spotlights introverted middle daughter Francesca. Two years after losing her beloved husband John, Fran decides to reenter the marriage mart for practical reasons,” the press release says. 
“But when John’s cousin Michaela returns to London to tend to the Kilmartin estate, Fran’s complicated feelings will have her questioning whether to stick to her pragmatic intentions or pursue her inner passions.”
The series is based on books written by Julia Quinn, and in the source material, Francesca’s new flame is a man named Michael. Quinn’s books don’t include same-sex relationships. But because it’s Netflix, that changed in the television adaptation.
“It feels groundbreaking. Obviously, there are a lot of great shows that have depicted queer love. We’re not the first by any means,” series showrunner Jess Brownell said in an <a href="https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/bridgerton-season-5-news-photos-premiere-date">interview</a> published on Tudum. “But to make an entire &#8216;Bridgerton&#8217; season about a sapphic relationship feels huge.”
She added, “It’s going to be a season about queer joy. It is not going to be a season about queer trauma. … We’re having so much fun!”
The actresses also weighed in on the storyline. “[Queer love stories] have traditionally been excluded from things like period dramas — and queer people did exist, have always existed, and will always exist,” Dodd said.
Prior to this, another character, Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), was portrayed as bisexual. He spent last season in a romantic relationship with a woman, however.

Bridgerton

Netflix Jams Interracial Queer Love Story Into Beloved Period Drama

Entertainment

Netflix

Television

A Michigan father has filed a federal lawsuit against the Grosse Pointe Public School System, alleging the district launched a campaign of &#8220;constitutional retaliation&#8221; after he publicly objected to the display of rainbow and transgender flags inside his child’s middle school.
The <a href="https://www.michigannewssource.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/complaint.pdf">complaint</a>, filed on behalf of Gary Shane Pruitt, argues the district violated his First Amendment rights by issuing a &#8220;no-trespass&#8221; order barring him from school property. According to the lawsuit, the dispute began in September 2024 when Pruitt attended a back-to-school night at Parcells Middle School and noticed a proliferation of Pride flags.
When he raised concerns with school officials, the complaint alleges he was met with dismissive shrugs. It also cites a comment attributed to school board member Valerie St. John: “If you are concerned that your child is seeing the colors of the rainbow, I would suggest sending them with tinted sunglasses so they aren’t subjected to the full spectrum.”
Pruitt later returned to the school after hours, which the lawsuit claims was done with permission, and recorded video of the displays. He posted the footage to a parent Facebook group with verbal commentary criticizing the flags as &#8220;radical programming&#8221; and a &#8220;display of sexuality&#8221; pushed by &#8220;groomer teachers,” as <a href="https://www.michigannewssource.com/2026/03/exclusive-michigan-dad-heading-to-federal-court-after-middle-school-bans-him-for-objecting-to-rainbow-and-trans-flags/?utm_source=home-headline">Michigan News Source</a> reported.
In an email to parents, Principal Jason Wesley said the video contained &#8220;no threatening content&#8221; and was &#8220;political in nature.&#8221;
The lawsuit alleged the district took several actions in response: ’
<ul style="font-weight: 400;">
<li>Increasing police presence at the school, a move Pruitt’s attorneys say falsely painted him as a physical threat.</li>
<li>Issuing a &#8220;no-trespass&#8221; order barring him from school grounds, with potential criminal penalties for violations.</li>
<li>Displaying a photograph of Pruitt in the school office branding him a &#8220;trespasser,&#8221; which his legal team has described as an attempt to &#8220;publicly shame&#8221; him.</li>
</ul>
The lawsuit pulls no punches. It levels claims of First Amendment retaliation, defamation, and violations of the Michigan Constitution. It argues the district&#8217;s actions were not driven by safety concerns but by disagreement with Pruitt&#8217;s views.
The heart of the legal battle centers on whether a public school district can restrict a parent&#8217;s access to school property based on speech made off campus. The complaint emphasized that Pruitt&#8217;s video was recorded after school hours with permission from administrators, and the commentary was posted on a private Facebook page—not delivered during a school function.
&#8220;The chilling effect that would result if parents can be banned from school property for merely criticizing the school or its board is self-evident,&#8221; the filing states. &#8220;It is not hard to imagine all of the abuses of power that could be committed by the state if public schools are permitted to punish any speech by any parent, at any time, on any device, and at any location, so long as the school found the speech to be &#8216;offensive.'&#8221;
The lawsuit also alleges the situation has affected Pruitt&#8217;s child, claiming the student has been &#8220;stigmatized, ridiculed, and harassed&#8221; by peers following the district&#8217;s actions.
Despite Pruitt’s attempt to resolve the matter quietly in early 2026, the district reportedly refused to budge, leaving the &#8220;no-trespass&#8221; order in full effect. Now, Pruitt is asking a federal judge to step in, seeking an immediate rescission of the order, the removal of his photo from the office, and compensatory damages for the violation of his rights.

Brighton Beach Pride march in Brooklyn, New York City

Dad Doesn’t Go Quietly After School District Bans Him Over Pride Flag Showdown

Lawsuit

Michigan

Middle School

NASCAR has indefinitely suspended driver Daniel Dye, 22, after he mocked another racer using what he described as a &#8220;gay voice&#8221; during a livestream.
The <a href="https://x.com/LostSchemes/status/2033933092109303947">video</a> that circulated on social media Tuesday shows the Kaulig Racing driver altering his voice to imitate fellow driver David Malukas.
“As soon I start doing a David Malukas gay voice I get a gold, so let’s keep it going,” Dye can be heard saying in the clip.
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<a href="https://t.co/ZJSvK2lgX0">pic.twitter.com/ZJSvK2lgX0</a>
— mario (@LostSchemes) <a href="https://twitter.com/LostSchemes/status/2033933092109303947?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Malukas, a 24-year-old Team Penske driver, has frequently been pictured on social media with his girlfriend, Kamila Jurkus, and has not publicly identified as gay. 
Dye issued an apology later Tuesday, saying he chose his words “poorly” and understood why they upset people. 
“I have some close friends in the LGBTQ+ community who I would never want to feel less of themselves because of what I said,&#8221; Dye wrote. &#8220;That’s exactly why I should hold myself to a higher standard.”
Dye said he is “committed to learning from this.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/qf72WEdxmM">pic.twitter.com/qf72WEdxmM</a>
— Daniel Dye (@danieldye43) <a href="https://twitter.com/danieldye43/status/2034031709998493843?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
NASCAR has not provided a timeline for Dye&#8217;s reinstatement.
Brad Moran, managing director of the NASCAR Cup Series, said Dye must complete a customized program before being considered to return.
“They are all one-on-one and customized to fit every situation,” he <a href="https://www.nascar.com/videos/franchise/tuned-in/nascar-official-explains-process-for-dyes-return/">said</a> during an interview with Sirius XM. 
“Once he gets through the program, and the folks that hold and manage the program are comfortable that there were some good lessons taught, and he understands the severity of what these things can do to folks, once that happens, he gets put back in for reinstatement,” Moran added.
This is the second time Dye has been suspended.
At age 18, Dye was arrested at a Daytona Beach racing event and charged with felony battery after punching a classmate, resulting in a ruptured testicle, per <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nascar-daniel-dye-suspended-david-malukas-livestream-3e6730a5d383fa2a8d8a2368a0c71e22">Associated Press</a>.

Daniel Dye

NASCAR Suspends Daniel Dye For Mocking Fellow Driver With ‘Gay Voice’

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