Freedom Updates
Advocates in Action
SUPREME COURT DELIVERS LANDMARK VICTORY FOR FEMALE ATHLETES: UPHOLDS BIOLOGICAL REALITY IN WOMEN’S SPORTS AND FACILITIES
Washington, D.C – June 30, 2026 — In a major win for female students’ safety, fairness, and equal opportunity, the U.S. Supreme Court today ruled in favor of State protections for women’s sports and facilities in Little v. Hecox and B.P.J. v. West Virginia. The decisions affirm that laws safeguarding biological sex-based categories in athletics and facilities do not violate Title IX or the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
The rulings reverse lower court decisions that had undermined sex-based distinctions, including the Fourth Circuit’s decision in B.P.J. by Jackson v. W. Virginia State Bd. of Educ., 98 F.4th 542 (4th Cir. 2024). Advocates for Faith & Freedom, representing a coalition of California public school districts and charter schools, played a key role by filing an amicus curiae brief urging the Court to protect female students.
The coalition includes John Adams Academies, Chino Valley Unified School District, Temecula Valley Unified School District, Murrieta Valley Unified School District, Perris Union High School District, Placer Union High School, Orange County Board of Education, and Kern County Board of Education. Our brief emphasized that redefining “sex” under Title IX to include gender identity ignores biological realities, endangers girls’ physical safety, psychological well-being, and destroys athletic opportunities.
“For nearly fifty years, Title IX has allowed female athletes to thrive in their own competitions and protected girls in their locker rooms and bathrooms,” said Erin Mersino, Vice President and Chief of Supreme Court and Appellate Litigation at Advocates for Faith & Freedom. “Title IX was a hard-won victory for women’s equality, built on recognizing sex-based differences — not erasing them. Today’s decision upholds the original meaning of Title IX and protects the rights of female students across the country.”
The Supreme Court’s decisions draw on history, science, and common sense. Biological males, on average, possess significant physical advantages in strength, speed, and endurance due to puberty-driven differences. Allowing males to compete in female categories or access sex-segregated facilities creates unfair competition and risks safety and privacy, and invokes of number of religious liberty concerns. Female students have reported trauma-like embarrassment, avoidance of facilities, and lost opportunities when sex-based protections are eroded.
Erin Mersino added: “Our clients have bravely stood up to ask the Supreme Court to preserve the promise of Title IX. This ruling is a victory for our daughters, granddaughters, and female athletes nationwide who deserve fair play and safe spaces.”
Advocates for Faith & Freedom has a number of cases in the federal courts in California which will continue to be litigated on this issue, as much more work will need to be done to protect girls’ sports nationwide. The fight continues, but with your support we will achieve victory. Advocates for Faith & Freedom celebrates this outcome as a defense of constitutional principles, women’s rights, and the rule of law. The organization remains committed to safeguarding religious liberty, parental rights, and equal protection for all.
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ADVOCATES FOR FAITH & FREEDOM FILES ELECTION INTEGRITY LAWSUIT SEEKING ANSWERS FROM CALIFORNIA SECRETARY OF STATE
ADVOCATES FOR FAITH & FREEDOM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2026
CONTACT: NICOLE VELASCO AT
MEDIA@FAITH-FREEDOM.COM
Murrieta, CA — After Election Integrity Project California’s thorough audit of November 2022 election data revealed an unexplained 43,625-vote discrepancy between California’s certified election results and data provided by the Secretary of State’s office, along with instances in which multiple votes appeared to be counted for individual voter registration numbers, Advocates for Faith & Freedom has filed a verified petition for writ of mandate on behalf of Ruth Weiss, a California voter and board member and volunteer with EIPCa. The lawsuit seeks to compel California Secretary of State Shirley Weber to answer basic questions regarding election procedures and voter data and to perform the legally mandated duties necessary to help ensure that every vote is lawfully cast and accurately counted. The petition does not ask the court to overturn any election result. It does not allege election malfeasance. Instead, it asks for something far simpler and more fundamental: transparency.
Under California’s Voter Bill of Rights, voters have the right to ask questions of election officials regarding election procedures and to receive an answer or be directed to the appropriate official who can provide one. After EIPCa reviewed election-related data obtained from the Secretary of State and compared it with the publicly available Statement of Vote, the organization identified significant discrepancies and sought clarification from the Secretary of State’s office.
Rather than assuming wrongdoing, Ms. Weiss and EIPCa asked questions. They sought to understand whether the differences could be explained by lawful, routine, or harmless election procedures. To date, those questions have not been answered.
“Election integrity begins with transparency,” said Advocates attorney Robert Tyler, counsel for the petitioner. “California voters should not be forced to sue their own Secretary of State just to receive answers to lawful questions about election procedures. When voters ask legitimate questions, government officials have a duty to respond.”
According to the petition, EIPCa compared the Secretary of State’s published Statement of Vote with accounting data received from the Secretary of State’s office. The petition states that EIPCa found, among other discrepancies, more total votes reflected in the accounting data than in the Statement of Vote and voter registration numbers with more than one vote attributed to them. Ms. Weiss then asked the Secretary of State to explain the procedures used to compile the data, reconcile the differences, and ensure that only one ballot per voter registration ID was cast and counted.
“These are not radical questions,” Tyler continued. “They are the kinds of questions every voter should want answered. Free and fair elections depend on public confidence, and public confidence depends on honest answers.”
The lawsuit seeks a peremptory writ of mandate requiring the Secretary of State to comply with California Elections Code section 2300 and respond to each question raised in Ms. Weiss’s March 5, 2026 letter.
For many Californians, election integrity is not a partisan slogan. It is the foundation of self-government. Citizens cannot hold their government accountable if public officials refuse to answer lawful questions about how elections are administered.
“Voters deserve confidence that election officials are following the law, maintaining accurate records, and responding to reasonable inquiries,” said Tyler. “This case is about ensuring that the government remains accountable to the people it serves.”
Advocates for Faith & Freedom is proud to stand with citizens who seek transparency, accountability, and integrity in the election process.
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MLB Must Choose
Dear Friend,
Major League Baseball warned three Christian San Francisco Giants baseball players about writing Bible verses on their ballcaps during the team’s LGBTQ pride celebration. After public outcry at the hypocrisy, including a letter from Advocates for Faith & Freedom which can be read here, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred wrote a June 19, 2026 response letter to Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri. The letter fell short of resolving the issue.
It is good to be thankful for how far we have come in this matter. First, Manfred noted that MLB changed its policy in 2023 to prohibit teams from altering uniforms during “their celebration days except under very narrow circumstances.”
Second, he emphasized that players had “the option to wear their normal uniform” instead of the Giants’ pride one, which apparently was not effectively communicated to the Giants players. Third, the Commissioner promised Senator Hawley that players who write Bible verses “were neither fined nor disciplined, nor will they ever be,” which is a positive reversal of the prior warning.
The Commissioner’s letter, however, shows how far MLB still must go for equal treatment. Manfred stated that MLB specially allows the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers to alter their official uniforms for LGBTQ pride nights. Christian players, however, are not permitted to equally alter their uniforms with Bible verses on these same or other nights. This is unequal. Manfred mentions that certain clubs have Faith nights, but he does not mention that teams are allowed to alter their uniforms with a Cross or Bible verses, which would be equal to the pride night treatment. Judging from the Commissioner’s letter, the only issue of its kind that MLB allows to have official uniform alterations is LGBTQ pride.
MLB must make a final choice. Either its players and teams totally refrain from promoting personal beliefs on uniforms or it fully opens the doors to this. Letting two teams promote anti-Christian sexual beliefs while not letting Christian employees promote their opposite beliefs in the same manner is discriminatory. This is especially important because of the honor giving to religious freedom during the United States of America’s 250-year history. This matter goes well beyond the players and affects thousands of team staff and stadium employees. Significant results often happen through legislation, government investigation, or successful litigation, such as a class action. MLB may need one of these. How easy is it for MLB to simply print the Cross or Bible verses on players’ ballcaps during the LGBTQ and Faith nights? One proven truth throughout history is that any matter that contradicts the Word of God does not go away, which is why the present matter is still unsettled.
In Christ,
Shea T. Hasenauer
Senior Legal Counsel
