PODCASTS

Tag: #gender

Gender, Sports, the First Amendment – Faith Under Fire – 3/21/24

Gender, Sports, the First Amendment – Faith Under Fire – 3/21/24

Gender, Sports, Parental Rights, and the First Amendment – “Faith Under Fire”

A small Christian school has sued its state sports association, after the Vermont Principals Association evicted the school’s teams  from the group. The Mid Vermont Christian School’s girls basketball team forfeited a state tournament game, rather than play an opposing team which included a 6-foot tall player who was born male.

Attorney Jake Reed says the forfeit which ended a successful sports season was a sharp punishment in and of itself, but the statewide group retaliated by forbidding that school from all participation in any other sport (and academic competitions) sponsored by the association. Mid Vermont is also out of a state tuition program, taking away advantages for students and families.

This brought a First-Amendment lawsuit, and the next hearing in the case happens in April. Greg Gillispie asked Reed about matters or parental rights and recent trends on how courts have been ruling in transgender cases and allegations of bias against people of faith.

Jacob Reed is an attorney with the Alliance Defending Freedom, a legal organization which takes on cases related to religious freedom, marriage and family, free speech and the sanctity of life. His emphasis with ADF often centers on schools, students and educational matters.

Details of this specific case can be found here and here.

These are the links to the school and to the state association.

Issues in Education – Safe Female Sports, Financial Literacy – 3/04/24

Issues in Education – Safe Female Sports, Financial Literacy – 3/04/24

Should New York Students be Forced to take a Financial Literacy Course to Graduate ?

FAFSA Forms Still in Limbo

And Why Protecting Girls Sports is Worth the Fight

 

Dr. Ralph Kerr at the Teaching and Learning Institute tackles the tough topics facing our public schools Monday’s during the Noon Report on Issues in Education. Their website is WhyRun.org.

Capital Connection – 2/09/24

Capital Connection – 2/09/24

New York’s lawyers’ group says doctors should assist in suicides.

A gun-rights rally in Pennsylvania draws media attention — and a prominent political candidate

How can parents opposed to the actions of the trans-gender movement stand up for their own families?

 

Each Friday, Family Life’s “Capital Connection” feature talks with leading pro-family advocates who lobby at the state capitols in Harrisburg and Albany. Listen for this 10-minute analysis from Jason McGuire (executive director of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms) and Michael Geer (president of the Pennsylvania Family Institute).


 

Both of these organizations have additional videos, podcasts, commentary and position papers. They are available through the tabs below.

NY:       PA: 

A Special Family Life Interview – Riley Gaines & Protection of Women’s Sports – 10/31/23

A Special Family Life Interview – Riley Gaines & Protection of Women’s Sports – 10/31/23

Riley Gaines has been one of the prominent speakers on issues of trans-gender inclusion in women’s sports. The University of Kentucky graduate put her grad school and future dental career on hold, and now travels the country to advocate for women’s sports. She tells Family Life’s Greg Gillispie that her message is not about personal attacks on people who transition to the opposite gender. Rather, she is standing up for safety, dignity and fairness among women and girls — be that in single-sex locker rooms, athletic competition, and dangers when stronger trans athletes share the arena with women. Her advocacy extended beyond sports. She is concerned about men who swap genders going into women’s prisons, safety and decorum in public restrooms, and the lack of truth expressed as this debate roars along.

In this Family Life interview, she also previews her upcoming presentation at Hershey, Pennsylvania, on November 6 (well over 1,000 people are expected to attend). She talks about how her Christian faith has strengthened her calling. She tells how her identity from the Lord helped her face the opposition, cancellations and even a few confrontations she has experienced from those who hold other views.

 

Riley Gaines Barker won five SEC swimming titles and has been named an All-American 12 times. At a 2022 NCAA Championship, she tied (down to the exact 1/100th of a second) with swimmer Lia Thomas who was born male, and who shared a locker room with born-female athletes.  Thomas was awarded that trophy, despite the tie, because a meet official saw the occasion as an opportunity to support trans athletes succeeding in women’s competitions.

She has testified at the U.S. House and Senate, speaks to college audiences and state legislatures, and is a frequent guest on national and local media outlets. She also started a podcast on women’s rights, sports, and faith. Riley Gaines commends to her supporters this report on Single-Sex Competition in American Sports in our time.

For information (and tickets availability) for her keynote speech at the Pennsylvania Family Institute’s Annual Banquet on Monday, November 6, go to PAFamily.org

Capital Connection – 10/27/23

Capital Connection – 10/27/23

Family Life’s “Capital Connection

Voters (at least some of us) go to the polls soon for the smaller-but-important odd-year elections. A preview of the 2023 PA and NY issues, plus the voting schedule

Why Ava’s Law is Worth Supporting (with an eye toward its intersection with abortion)

Transgender Surgeries on Kids in our two states

 

Christian watchdogs Jason McGuire and Michael Geer offer their weekly commentary on the latest news from the state capitals in Albany and Harrisburg. 

For further information on the issues and events discussed this week:

  • PA Family’s banquet November 6: Riley Gaines (University of Kentucky swimmer) & Seth Dillon (The Babylon Bee)
  • New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedom’s commentary on Ava’s Law and loss of an infant
  • November 7 Election Previews: New York & Pennsylvania
Hometown Heroes – Chad Kurtz – Truth in Nature (dads) – 09/12/23

Hometown Heroes – Chad Kurtz – Truth in Nature (dads) – 09/12/23

Family Life’s “Hometown Heroes

Chad Kurtz of Brookville, Pennsylvania, saw the challenges boys face in childhood and their teen years, when a father or father figure is not prominent in their lives. He directs the local chapter of “Truth in Nature”, a ministry which matches responsible Christian men with young people who need that kind of positive male influence.

Truth in Nature reaches out in response to a Biblical mandate to care for the fatherless. The need is great, with 18.5 million fatherless boys in the United States. Kurtz tells Family Life that real-world statistics show young people have very prominent incidents of imprisonment, homelessness, running away, suicide, and self-esteem issues. Of 27 recent mass shootings, 26 of those were committed by someone who did not have a dad at home.

Not all situations are dire, and single mothers do amazing work, and this ministry provides support to them too. For the boys, male teens and even those of college age, Truth in Nature provides experiences, advice and encouragement how to grow up as a healthy and respectful man. Activities include camping, learning to hunt, how to fold clothes, how to shave, and spiritual teachings.

Truth in Nature started in Georgia in 2009, and recently opened chapters in Pennsylvania and New York. Kurtz and others from Brookville are available to speak at churches and civic organizations.

 

 

Faith Under Fire – Bipartisan Culture Battles – 08/24/23

Faith Under Fire – Bipartisan Culture Battles – 08/24/23

PlayPlay

Family Life’s “Faith Under Fire”

A new conversation with a parent-rights advocate Randy Thomasson, who is among a throng citizens who oppose proposed California legislation which would insert support tor transgender-transition advocacy into the state’s child custody battle. The founder of SaveCalifornia.com expands that theme to the national level battles which are happening around gender and other social contentious social issues.

Thomasson says mainstream positions are gaining momentum in many places. That continues, as people with traditional values — be they Democrats, Republicans, or Independents — step forward, speak out and act. He offers advice specifically for Pennsylvania and New York parents.

 

Update on California Bill AB-957: Thomasson also spoke with Family Life earlier this summer as this bill was being debated in the California State Assembly. This week (August 21) the state Senate there approved moving the bill forward to a floor vote for final approval. You can listen to, share or download that earlier conversation from our News Podcasts page.

Faith Under Fire – Parental Rights and Children’s Gender Identity Laws – 07/20/23

Faith Under Fire – Parental Rights and Children’s Gender Identity Laws – 07/20/23

Family Life’s “Faith Under Fire”

A parents-rights advocate says proposed laws are putting children and teen at risk. Randy Thomasson of SaveCalifornia.com updates us on a proposed California law now up for amendments and a vote this month (July 2023) in their state senate. This, he says, opens dangers for underage children in every state.

The legislation seeks to place a parent’s affirmation of of their child’s preferred gender identity among the criteria considered in child custody cases. That would mean in a case of a divorce or when a child or teen runs away (even from outside of California), judges would consider a parent who disagrees with the child’s announced gender role, the health and safety of the child could be considered “at risk” with that parent.

Thomasson tells Family Life’s Greg Gillispie that hundreds of California parents (from both sides of the aisle) showed up in the capitol building during hearings, strongly opposed to the proposed change in the law. He predicts it will pass and get the governor’s signature.

There have been similar pushes for such laws in New York and other states. Thomasson offers advice for families everywhere, in how to protect their own children and teens amid the current culture wars.

More on the California legislation, and its potential effects elsewhere:

  • Many lawmakers in Sacramento support Assembly Bill AB-957,
  • Lobbying by SaveCalifornia.com.
  • Multiple thousands who had body-altering procedures, while they were underage, are now regretting that choice. Some want to reverse the surgery or hormone treatments.
Capital Connection – 06/16/23

Capital Connection – 06/16/23

Capital Connection

It’s our Friday exploration of weighty issues in the news from the state capitals of Albany and Harrisburg. This week’s discussion includes Christian watchdogs are Jason McGuire (executive director of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms) and Dan Bartkowiak (communications director at the Pennsylvania Family Institute).

Among the topics you will hear:

  • Budget blues in Albany and Harrisburg
  • Slave reparations study in NY
  • Why PA taxpayers are funding sex change operations on underage kids

Faith Under Fire – Gender debates on Title IX – Matt Sharp – 05/11/23

Faith Under Fire – Gender debates on Title IX – Matt Sharp – 05/11/23

Half a century ago, Title IX (pronounced “Title 9”) became federal law, opening new educational and athletic opportunities for girls and women. Now, the Biden Administration is changing Title IX to mandate that male-at-birth transgender athletes must be given equal rights to join female teams, use locker room facilities and be able to compete against biological women.

Contending that the executive branch cannot arbitrarily change they the call the “clear wording” of Title IX, 20 U.S. states have filed suit, an action joined by an association of Christian schools. Matt Sharp of the Alliance Defending Freedom speaks this week with Abigail Hofland about the legal issues and questions of fairness. He tells of two Connecticut athletes who have affected 100 sports records, tournament advancements, trophies and scholarship offers of traditional female student-athletes.

The case is being heard in a Federal Appeals Court.

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