A federal judge in New Hampshire has turned down a request from parents to wear pink wristbands emblazoned with “XX” at girls’ high school soccer games. The wristbands were intended as a protest against transgender girls participating in these events.
In a related decision, the judge permitted one father, previously banned for protesting, to attend games and pick up his daughter from practice, provided he refrains from any protest activities.
Judge Steven McAuliffe acknowledged the legal complexities surrounding parental protests at school sports events and plans to hear further arguments in late November.
The situation escalated when three parents and a grandparent from Bow High School filed a lawsuit against the school district after being prohibited from school grounds for wearing the wristbands, which they claim represent female chromosomes.
Nick Perry/AP Photo
During a game on September 17 against Plymouth Regional High School, two parents wore the wristbands, asserting they were “silently expressing their opinion about the importance of reserving women’s sports for biological females.” This lawsuit is being pursued with the assistance of the Institute for Free Speech.
The Bow School District stated that parents Andrew Foote and Kyle Fellers directed their protests against a 15-year-old transgender player, despite clear warnings against such behaviors. They argued that the sanctions imposed were warranted.
Del Kolde, a senior attorney with the Institute, expressed that their efforts achieved partial success and mentioned police bodycam footage will support their case during the upcoming hearing. The district chose not to comment after the hearing.
According to the lawsuit, school officials and a police officer confronted the parents during the game, instructing them to remove the wristbands or leave. After a standoff, the parents complied under threat of arrest so the game could proceed without incident.
During the proceedings, Kolde acknowledged that Fellers referred to school officials as Nazis but maintained his right to express that opinion. Fellers had also displayed a sign reading “Protect Women Sports for Female Athletes.”
Post-game, the parents received “No Trespass Orders,” barring them from school property, with Fellers facing a complete ban for the fall term. He stated earlier, “Parents don’t shed their First Amendment rights at the entrance to a school’s soccer field.”
This article incorporates reporting from the Associated Press.