Alliance Defending Freedom

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The 2024 election results should mark the beginning of the end for DEI in corporate America. These discriminatory and divisive programs are bad for business—and bad for America. https://bit.ly/40YYF2w

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The consensus across America is growing: women’s sports must be protected. ? Americans are tired of seeing women and girls pushed off their own podiums, tired of pretending there’s no difference between male and female, tired of the assault on reality. The tide is turning. ? But it’s too early to celebrate. Gender ideology still runs deep in American policy, from local schools to federal agencies. Recently, two U.S. circuit courts ruled against good women’s sports laws in Idaho and West Virginia. We’re representing female athletes in both cases—and we’ve appealed those rulings to the U.S. Supreme Court. ? We’re currently waiting to hear if the Court will grant that appeal. And we aren’t the only ones. ? Female athletes across the nation—from elementary school through college—are waiting. They’re waiting to find out whether the sports their grandmothers fought to give them will still exist. They’re waiting to see if America will acknowledge that their femaleness is real—and deserving of respect. They’re waiting to find out whether their rights matter too. ? We think they’ve waited long enough. It’s time for the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the issue of women’s sports. #SaveWomensSports

The vast majority of Americans believe in protecting women's sports. Will Democrats get the memo and make this a true bipartisan issue—or will the insistence on denying reality persist? ? ADF's Grant Atkinson writes more on the issue: https://bit.ly/3ARHXYe

COMING SOON TO SCOTUS: Next month, the Supreme Court will consider whether states can protect kids from life-altering “gender transition” drugs. This could be a pivotal case. At issue is a Tennessee law passed in 2023. When Tennessee legislators studied this issue, they learned: ?? Most kids grow out of gender dysphoria if they’re allowed to go through normal puberty. ?? European nations that first pioneered “gender-affirming care” for kids are now rolling it back. ?? These procedures can cause lifelong problems, including sterility, loss of sexual function, and loss of bone density. ?? A growing chorus of “detransitioners” is telling devastating stories of permanent harm. So Tennessee passed a law prohibiting gender-transition drugs and surgeries for anyone under 18. Twenty-five other states have similar laws. The ACLU quickly sued Tennessee, and the Biden admin then joined. They argue that so-called “gender-affirming care” is a constitutional right. If they succeed, states would have to follow guidelines from groups like the World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH) But WPATH’s guidelines are driven by ideology, not science. The Biden admin wants to force these radical, politicized standards on every state. Tennessee is fighting back. And it has the Constitution on its side. Clearly, there is no constitutional right to experiment on children. The Supreme Court will hear United States v. Skrmetti on December 4th. This case could have far-reaching implications for kids across America, and other state laws which are being challenged. A win for Tennessee would make it clear across the nation: No one has the right to harm a child. #kidshealthmatters

States should respect the First Amendment freedoms of their people. But when they don't, they should pay a price. | The Daily Wire https://bit.ly/3V0HkCD

LANDMARK CASE SETTLED: Violating the Constitution has proven costly for the state of Colorado. The state has now agreed to pay more than $1.5 million in attorneys’ fees for violating the First Amendment rights of graphic artist Lorie Smith, following her historic victory at the U.S. Supreme Court in 303 Creative v. Elenis. Before Lorie won at the high court, Colorado officials threatened and censored her speech for nearly seven years. They have also spent years targeting other Colorado artists, like Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cakeshop. “The government can’t force Americans to say things they don’t believe, and Colorado officials have paid and will continue to pay a high price when they violate this foundational freedom,” said ADF CEO and President Kristen Waggoner, who argued the 303 Creative case before the Supreme Court. Lorie Smith is thankful that her case—which has already been cited in briefs, rulings, and legal publications nearly 1,000 times—has protected freedom for all Americans. “After enduring Colorado’s censorship for nearly seven years, I’m incredibly grateful for the work of my attorneys at Alliance Defending Freedom to bring my case to victory,” she said. “This is a win not just for me but for all Americans—for those who share my beliefs and for those who hold different views.” MORE: https://t.co/769ISritLB

Megyn Kelly's Saturday podcast featured a segment on our recent win for women's sports. THANK YOU to Megyn for shining a light on our clients' stories. ?? ? We hope SCOTUS will agree to take up this important issue during this term, in two women's sports cases we've appealed to the Court. Stay tuned.

PETITION FILED: When people seek a private counselor, they want someone who will help them reach their own life goals, in alignment with their beliefs and values. But Colorado tries to force counselors to impose the state’s ideology on clients instead. Colorado’s law censors counseling conversations about gender and sexuality—but only in one direction. For example, if a client under 18 is struggling with his/her sex, a counselor is free to encourage that client toward a “gender transition,” but prohibited from conversations meant to help the client accept his/her body. Counselors who voice views the government doesn’t like could face fines of $5,000 per violation, suspension from practice, or even revocation of their license. That’s not free speech. And that’s why we’ve filed a petition with the Supreme Court, asking it to hear the case of Colorado counselor Kaley Chiles. “The government has no business censoring private conversations between clients and counselors, nor should a counselor be used as a tool to impose the government’s biased views on her clients,” said ADF’s Cody Barnett. “As Justice Clarence Thomas?wrote?in a similar case, even though these types of laws are ‘viewpoint-based … discrimination in its purest form,’ the federal appeals courts are currently divided 2–2 over whether they are valid.” We are urging the Supreme Court to hear Kaley’s case, resolve the split, and stop Colorado officials from banning someone’s speech simply because they disagree with her beliefs. All Americans should be allowed to speak freely and seek the best possible help they desire.