Oklahoma is leading the fight to save girls' sports – and they're winning

Fox News

a day ago

Let me say it plainly: boys don't belong in girls' sports. That used to be common sense. Now it's a fight we have to win in every school, every courtroom, and every community in America.
The radical Left is pushing the lie that gender is a choice, that biology doesn't matter, and that feelings trump facts. And they expect the rest of us to nod along and stay quiet while they bulldoze fairness, safety, and truth.
Not in Oklahoma.
Riley Gaines didn't stay quiet. She spoke up when a biological male tied her in a major collegiate swimming championship—stripped of her rightful place on the podium. And for that, the Left has tried to smear her ever since. The most recent insult came from Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, who decided to take cheap shots at Riley on social media, not for anything hateful—but for daring to say that girls deserve fair competition. It wasn't just petty. It was cowardly.
Let me be very clear: As a father of two young girls, a former high school teacher, and the head of Oklahoma schools, I stand with Riley Gaines. The people of Oklahoma stand with her. And millions of Americans do too, whether the media admits it or not.
This is not a hypothetical debate. This is happening in our schools. In one Oklahoma high school, a fight broke out after a biological male was allowed to use the girls' bathroom. We've seen female athletes lose to boys in track meets, then be told to "be more inclusive." Parents are told to sit down and shut up. Teachers are afraid to speak. Girls are being pushed aside—sometimes literally—to make room for a political agenda that has nothing to do with education and everything to do with control.
I've spoken directly with superintendents, coaches, and parents across the state. They all say the same thing: we're done. We're done pretending. We're done letting boys dominate girls' sports. And we're done allowing activists in Washington, D.C. or on TikTok to tell us how to raise our kids.
That's why Oklahoma passed the Save Women's Sports Act—to make it illegal for biological males to compete in girls' sports. We didn't ask for permission. We didn't wait for D.C. We acted. And as State Superintendent, I'm enforcing it. You violate the law, you lose funding. It's that simple.
Of course, the Biden administration was threatening states like ours. They proposed new Title IX rules that would force schools to allow boys in girls' locker rooms and athletic programs. I put them on notice: Oklahoma will not comply. With President Trump in office, we are now seeing a return to normalcy. We will not be bullied into abandoning reality, faith, or parental rights.
Because here's the truth the media won't say: we're winning.
States across the country—red, purple, and even a few blue—are rejecting this nonsense. Twenty-six states now have laws protecting girls' sports. More are on the way. Poll after poll shows that everyday Americans—regardless of party—oppose letting boys compete against girls. This is not a 50/50 issue. This is an 80/20 issue, and the radicals are losing.
The Left thought they could shame us into silence. Instead, they've woken up a movement. Parents are fighting back. Coaches are declaring enough is enough. Leaders are drawing the line.
They say this is a culture war. Fine. Then let's be clear about who's winning.
This isn't the end of the fight—it's the beginning of the rollback. Common sense isn't just surviving. It's making a comeback.
And in Oklahoma, we're leading the charge.