Latest news with #AmericanParentsCoalition
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Parents group urges Trump admin to investigate YMCA over gender identity policies
A parents' group is urging the Trump administration to investigate the YMCA for what it claims is "unlawful gender-based discrimination in its programs and policies." "The YMCA's policy of disfavoring and imperiling young girls and favoring and empowering those who choose to present as a gender other than their own is antithetical to the principles of federal civil rights law and gender equality," Alleigh Marré, executive director of the American Parents Coalition, said in a letter directed to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner. "It is morally wrong and legally impermissible," Marré added in the letter sent Tuesday. Trump Admin To Probe Illinois School Over Allegations Girls Were Forced To Change In Front Of Trans Student Archived pages of the YMCA's website called, "How to Create a Safe Space for LGBTQ+ Campers," and dated July 3, 2017, read "Ensure all campers and staff have access to the facilities aligned with their gender identity and comfort within facility and resource limitations." The page also recommends that youth development professionals "use gender-neutral (or self-identified) pronouns when referencing guardians/parents, partners, families and significant others," and "lift up stories of LGBTQ+ inclusion in trainings, marketing and camp activities." Read On The Fox News App Another archived page, "Affirming LGBTQ+ Communities with Pride," and dated June 7, 2022, states that the institution is meant to unite people "no matter their ability, age, cultural background, ethnicity, faith, gender expression, gender identity, ideology, income, national origin, race or sexual orientation." A current page on the YMCA's website titled, "For All," states that "The Y is made up of people of all ages, from all backgrounds, working side-by-side to strengthen communities. Together, we work to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential with dignity." It adds that their "core values are caring, honesty, respect and responsibility — they guide everything we do." Marré and the American Parents Coalition claim the YMCA is engaging in unlawful gender-based discrimination in its programs and policies and allege the YMCA is violating Title IX since the organization is a recipient of federal funds. On its website, the YMCA states that it receives over $600 million in government grants and over $930 million in non-government grants. "As a recipient of federal financial assistance, it is obligated to comply with the mandates of Title IX of the Education Amendments," the APC letter reads. Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex or gender for entities that receive federal funding. "There is little room for interpretation where the law is so explicit," the letter reads. "This broad prohibition underscores the law's role in eliminating gender-based barriers to women's equal participation in all aspects of programming and activities, providing for "the women of America something that is rightfully theirs—an equal chance. The YMCA's policies permitting biological men to invade the sanctity of spaces set aside for women undoubtably violates this law." Ohio College 'Illegally Forcing Students' To Share Bathrooms With Opposite Sex: Watchdog The letter also highlights various instances of recent issues at several YMCA locations where women have been subjected to change in the same facilities as men. One such instance was in Kansas City, Missouri, where a biological male is being accused of allegedly exposing themselves to a seven-year-old girl while she was with her mother at a YMCA in North Kansas City. It also mentions a 2022 incident where a 17-year-old girl claimed she saw a transgender woman changing in a women's locker room at a California YMCA. "Perhaps most concerning is not what is known of the YMCA's gender policies, but what is yet unknown. In recent weeks, the YMCA has either restricted access to the portions of its website that deal with gender policies or has taken down those pages altogether," the letter claims. "By no means should one expect that the YMCA is changing its gender policies; rather, the YMCA is shielding those policies and future policies from public scrutiny." The letter also highlights Trump's Jan. 20 executive order banning the use of federal funds to promote gender ideology. Fox News Digital reached out to the Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Education, as well as the YMCA for article source: Parents group urges Trump admin to investigate YMCA over gender identity policies
Fox News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Parents group urges Trump admin to investigate YMCA over gender identity policies
A parents' group is urging the Trump administration to investigate the YMCA for what it claims is "unlawful gender-based discrimination in its programs and policies." "The YMCA's policy of disfavoring and imperiling young girls and favoring and empowering those who choose to present as a gender other than their own is antithetical to the principles of federal civil rights law and gender equality," Alleigh Marré, executive director of the American Parents Coalition, said in a letter directed to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner. "It is morally wrong and legally impermissible," Marré added in the letter sent Tuesday. Archived pages of the YMCA's website called, "How to Create a Safe Space for LGBTQ+ Campers," and dated July 3, 2017, read "Ensure all campers and staff have access to the facilities aligned with their gender identity and comfort within facility and resource limitations." The page also recommends that youth development professionals "use gender-neutral (or self-identified) pronouns when referencing guardians/parents, partners, families and significant others," and "lift up stories of LGBTQ+ inclusion in trainings, marketing and camp activities." Another archived page, "Affirming LGBTQ+ Communities with Pride," and dated June 7, 2022, states that the institution is meant to unite people "no matter their ability, age, cultural background, ethnicity, faith, gender expression, gender identity, ideology, income, national origin, race or sexual orientation." A current page on the YMCA's website titled, "For All," states that "The Y is made up of people of all ages, from all backgrounds, working side-by-side to strengthen communities. Together, we work to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential with dignity." It adds that their "core values are caring, honesty, respect and responsibility — they guide everything we do." Marré and the American Parents Coalition claim the YMCA is engaging in unlawful gender-based discrimination in its programs and policies and allege the YMCA is violating Title IX since the organization is a recipient of federal funds. On its website, the YMCA states that it receives over $600 million in government grants and over $930 million in non-government grants. "As a recipient of federal financial assistance, it is obligated to comply with the mandates of Title IX of the Education Amendments," the APC letter reads. Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex or gender for entities that receive federal funding. "There is little room for interpretation where the law is so explicit," the letter reads. "This broad prohibition underscores the law's role in eliminating gender-based barriers to women's equal participation in all aspects of programming and activities, providing for "the women of America something that is rightfully theirs—an equal chance. The YMCA's policies permitting biological men to invade the sanctity of spaces set aside for women undoubtably violates this law." The letter also highlights various instances of recent issues at several YMCA locations where women have been subjected to change in the same facilities as men. One such instance was in Kansas City, Missouri, where a biological male is being accused of allegedly exposing themselves to a seven-year-old girl while she was with her mother at a YMCA in North Kansas City. It also mentions a 2022 incident where a 17-year-old girl claimed she saw a transgender woman changing in a women's locker room at a California YMCA. "Perhaps most concerning is not what is known of the YMCA's gender policies, but what is yet unknown. In recent weeks, the YMCA has either restricted access to the portions of its website that deal with gender policies or has taken down those pages altogether," the letter claims. "By no means should one expect that the YMCA is changing its gender policies; rather, the YMCA is shielding those policies and future policies from public scrutiny." The letter also highlights Trump's Jan. 20 executive order banning the use of federal funds to promote gender ideology. Fox News Digital reached out to the Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Education, as well as the YMCA for comment.
Fox News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Social media giant hit with scathing ad campaign amid anger over AI chatbots sexually exploiting kids
A nonprofit parents coalition is calling on multiple congressional committees to launch an investigation into Meta for prioritizing engagement metrics that put children's safety at risk. The call is part of a three-pronged attack campaign by the American Parents Coalition (APC), launched Thursday. It includes a letter to lawmakers with calls for investigations, a new parental notification system to help parents stay informed on issues impacting their kids at Meta and beyond, and mobile billboards at Meta D.C. and California headquarters, calling out the company for failure to adequately prioritize protecting children. APC's campaign follows an April Wall Street Journal report that included an investigation looking into how the company's metrics focus has led to potential harms for children. "This is not the first time Meta has been caught making tech available to kids that exposes them to inappropriate content," APC Executive Director Alleigh Marre said. "Parents across America should be extremely wary of their children's online activity, especially when it involves emerging technology like AI digital companions. This pattern of bad behavior from Meta shows they cannot be trusted to self-correct, and we are urging Congress to take meaningful action in holding Meta accountable for not prioritizing child safety." The April Wall Street Journal investigation not only reported on internal concerns that Meta was skirting ethical lines to make its AI chatbot system more advanced, but also shared how the report's authors tested out the system themselves. The reporters' test conversations found that Meta's AI chatbot systems engaged and sometimes escalated sexual discussions – even when the chatbot knew the user was underage. The investigation found that the AI chatbot could also be programmed to simulate a minor's persona while engaging with the end-user in a sexually explicit conversation. In some instances, the test conversations were able to get Meta's chatbot to speak about romantic encounters in the voice of Disney movie characters. "The reporting referenced in this letter doesn't reflect how people actually experience these AIs, which for teens is often in valuable ways, like helping with homework and learning new skills," a Meta spokesperson told Fox News Digital in response to the campaign. "We recognize parents' concerns about these new technologies, which is why we've put additional age-appropriate guardrails in place that allow parents to see if their teens have been chatting with AIs, and to place time limits on our apps. Importantly, we don't allow AIs to present as under 18s and we prohibit sexually explicit conversations with teens." Per the Journal's reporting, which Meta contests, the company made multiple internal decisions to loosen guardrails around its chatbots to make them as engaging as possible. Meta reportedly made an exemption to allow "explicit" content within its chatbot as long as it is in the content of romantic role playing. At the same time, Meta has taken steps to help improve its product safety for minor users, such as the introduction of Instagram's "Teen Accounts" with built-in safety protections that came out in 2024 amid increased scrutiny over the company's AI. In April, Meta announced the expansion of these accounts to Facebook and Messenger. On these accounts, minors are prohibited from conversations about sexually explicit content with chatbots. Meta also has parental supervision tools built into its AI chatbot system that are supposed to show parents whom their kids are talking to on a regular basis, including chatbot, and has tools to shut down accounts exhibiting potential suspicious behavior tied to child sexual exploitation. Coinciding with APC's campaign attacking Meta, the group launched a new website titled " with links to APC's letter to members of Congress, images of the mobile billboards they are deploying, a link to the new "lookout" notification system, and recent articles about Meta's work pertaining to children's safety.
Fox News
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Maine school official ignites backlash after comparing trans athlete wave to historic civil rights movements
Portland (Maine) Public Schools Superintendent Ryan Scallon is facing immense criticism after comparing the ongoing battle to enable trans inclusion in women's and girls' sports to past American civil rights struggles involving women and minorities. Scallon made his comments during a school board meeting on Tuesday. "In our country's history, there have been many civil rights struggles, including, but not limited, to fights for women's rights to vote, for racial equality and for gay marriage. In each of these fights, the opposition in part was driven by fear in attempts to ostracize other people who look, act or believe in something different," Scallon said. "Today, I see that happening again with transgender or non-binary students, and in particular, our transgender athletes." Maine state Rep. Laurel Libby, who has recently ascended as a key figure in the state's ongoing resistance on trans inclusion, told Fox News Digital that she finds Scallon's comments "insulting" and "unconscionable." "It's insulting to women everywhere," Libby said. "If I was a parent there, I would feel betrayed and like I don't have representation, and certainly that my girls didn't have representation… It's an example of leadership actively participating in the erasure of women and girls. "It is unconscionable that a public official would compare the woke policy of allowing biological males to participate in girls' sports to the civil rights struggle that previous generations fought." Libby became a prominent figure in this Maine debate after posting a Greely High School pole vaulter on social media. The pole vaulter competed as recently as June 2024 as a biological male, and ended up winning a state championship as a woman. Libby was later censured for the post, and has since filed a lawsuit in response to try and regain her voting and speaking privileges. Former Maine high school pole vaulting coach and official Allen Cornwall, who had to judge a competition that involved a trans athlete earlier this year, told Fox News Digital that he sees Scallon's comments as "a farce." "It's a farce," Cornwall said. "Until you sit there and look at the other girls' faces, and then you can come and tell me why you think it's fair, I don't really want to hear it. I look at these girls' faces every single week, I've witnessed it and they were dejected and they were hurt and then they found opportunities not to compete… it's not what they wanted. So I find it ironic that these people who are supposedly, who are out for women's rights, are forgetting that you've been trampling over women's rights for years." The executive director of the American Parents Coalition, Alleigh Marre, provided a statement to Fox News Digital condemning the entire liberal movement in Maine that is working to enable trans inclusion. "Parents overwhelmingly agree that forcing gender ideology on kids is unacceptable and they're fed up with activists who pretend biology isn't real," Marre said. "From boys in girls' sports and locker rooms to tampons in boys' bathrooms – families have had enough. Despite this, Maine liberals' latest push of their ideology includes inviting a transgender activist who has been accused of [witnessing] sexual misconduct involving a minor to say the morning prayer at the House of Representatives today. Out of touch doesn't begin to describe their continued actions. It is time for our leaders to listen to parents and families." Users on social media shared their own criticisms over Scallon's comments. Maine has become one of the nation's biggest battlegrounds in the national debate over trans inclusion in girls' sports. The Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Civil Rights (OCR) announced that it found the Maine Department of Education, the Maine Principals' Association and Greely High School all in violation of Title IX following an investigation into trans-inclusion in girls' sports. HHS said on Monday that the state has 10 days to comply with a written agreement, or risk referral to the Department of Justice. "What HHS is asking of the Maine Department of Education, the Maine Principals' Association (MPA) and Greely High School is simple – protect female athletes' rights. Girls deserve girls-only sports without male competitors. And if Maine won't come to the table to voluntarily comply with Title IX, HHS will enforce Title IX to the fullest extent permitted by the law," OCR acting Director Anthony Archeval said in a statement to Fox News Digital. The ongoing debate in the state has resulted in police protection being assigned to Greely High School, and even a massive protest against Gov. Janet Mills in Augusta last month. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Back in the driver's seat': Parents offered new guide to Trump's executive orders and how they affect kids
FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump has issued 73 executive orders since his return to the Oval Office in January, including at least six that directly affect parents and their children, according to a parental rights group that released a parent's guide to navigating the executive orders. "President Trump's Executive Orders have put parents back in the driver's seat," American Parents Coalition's Executive Director Alleigh Marré told Fox News Digital. "From rolling back President Biden's radical changes to Title IX that required schools to let boys play in girls sports, to protecting kids from harmful gender interventions, parents are already better positioned to make decisions regarding the well-being of their children than they were just a month ago." The coalition released a "lookout" parental notification system Wednesday that detailed six different executive orders that "enable parents to choose what is best for their children and to better protect kids." The lookout works as a guide to parents navigating the executive orders, including offering tips on how parents can keep up with the breakneck pace of the Trump administration's executive orders, and working their way through Congress and at the state level. Trump Signs 'No Men In Women's Sports' Executive Order The American Parents Coalition was established in 2024 to advocate for public policy favorable toward parental rights. Read On The Fox News App "In this Lookout, American Parents Coalition seeks to keep parents informed and provide tips to stay in the loop about future changes made by the Trump Administration, Congress, and state legislatures," Marré added in comment to Fox Digital. The parental notification system focused on six Trump executive orders, providing an explainer for each and what the order actually means for parents. The six orders include: Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports; Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling; Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families; Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation; Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal; Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government. Parents Should Be Terrified By Tiktok's Dangerous Influence Over Our Kids For the executive order protecting children from chemical mutilation, for example, the coalition explained that it "ensures parents, not activists, make medical decisions for their children and protects children from irreversible procedures until they reach adulthood." "Although there is more work to be done at the state level, parents can now feel reassured that schools, healthcare providers, and government programs will not bypass them in pushing gender transition interventions on their children," the lookout report continues. Trump's bevy of executive orders related to transgender issues and children were long previewed on the campaign trail, as the then-candidate vowed that he would ban biological males from women's sports and ban gender surgery procedures for children. Million-dollar Tv Ad Campaign Accuses Tiktok Of Exposing Young People Content Glorifying Suicide, Self-harm "On Day One, I will revoke Joe Biden's cruel policies on so-called 'gender affirming care' — ridiculous — a process that includes giving kids puberty blockers, mutating their physical appearance, and ultimately performing surgery on minor children. Can you believe this?" Trump said in a campaign video in 2023 of his plan to "protect children from left-wing gender insanity." Trump Executive Order On Protecting Women's Sports Draws Response From Ncaa Outside of executive orders that directly address children and parents, Trump also signed an executive order that ends the weaponization of the federal government, including preventing agencies from targeting people based on their political beliefs. "Parents can advocate for their children's education and rights without fear of government retaliation for speaking out," the lookout explained of how the order impacts parents. "Some parents critical of far-Left educational policies such as teaching (critical race theory), transgender bathrooms and sport policies have been ridiculed and even investigated by the FBI. This order is a win for free speech and puts parents into the driver's seat of their children's lives."Original article source: 'Back in the driver's seat': Parents offered new guide to Trump's executive orders and how they affect kids
