Judge Says School Can Ban Dads Who Wear Pink XX Wristbands To Protest Boys In Girls’ Sports

United States District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe ruled on Monday that the Bow School District in New Hampshire could continue to eject parents from school sporting events if they wore “XX” wristbands supporting biological females in sports.

McAuliffe issued a 45-page ruling against parents Anthony Foote, Kyle Fellers, Eldon Rash, and Nicole Foote, saying that school athletic events were considered a “limited public forum” and therefore the school district could act if it was deemed necessary to “protect” students from “adult speech that can reasonably be seen to target a specific student participating in the event.”

The protest occurred in September 2024 when the parents learned that their daughters’ soccer team would compete against a team that included a trans-identifying male player, Parker Tirrell, and decided to wear the wristbands in silent protest.

But McAuliffe ruled that the bright pink wristbands would likely be interpreted as “demeaning and harassing” and seen as “directly assaulting” anyone who happened to identify as transgender.

“The message generally ascribed to the XX symbol, in a context such as that presented here, can reasonably be understood as directly assaulting those who identify as transgender women. Because gender identities are characteristics of personal identity that are ‘unalterable or otherwise deeply rooted,’ the demeaning of which ‘strikes a person at the core of his being,’ and because Bow school authorities reasonably interpreted the symbols used by plaintiffs, in context, as conveying a demeaning and harassing message, they properly interceded to protect students from injuries likely to be suffered,” McAuliffe stated.

Anthony Foote told The New Hampshire Journal that he had no intention of backing down from the fight, saying, “What was our offense? Supporting girls’ sports and defending biological reality? This ruling is a slap in the face to every parent who believes schools should be a place of fairness, not political indoctrination. The judge openly admitted that Pride flags are allowed because they promote ‘inclusion,’ but wristbands defending women’s sports are banned because they might ‘offend’ someone. That’s viewpoint discrimination, plain and simple — and it’s unconstitutional.”

Former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines shared the story, commenting, “A federal judge just ruled that two fathers can’t wear pink wristbands that say ‘XX’ to silently protest male inclusion in women’s sports. The judge said the female chromosomes, XX, are a ‘demeaning and harassing assertion.'”

A federal judge just ruled that two fathers can't wear pink wristbands that say "XX" to silently protest male inclusion in women's sports

The judge said the female chromosomes, XX, are a "demeaning and harassing assertion"https://t.co/AKpAovWWQn

— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) April 15, 2025

Attorney General Pam Bondi responded to Gaines, saying, “I have asked my @CivilRights Division to examine this matter. This DOJ stands with women and their supportive parents.”

I have asked my @CivilRights Division to examine this matter. This DOJ stands with women and their supportive parents. https://t.co/5sJZ0dEQ1y

— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) April 16, 2025

“This ruling is unconstitutional and will not stand. @CivilRights is examining this closely. Every father has not only a right but also a duty to stand up for his daughters, and the right to free speech is not curtailed by subjective ‘feelings,'” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon added.

This ruling is unconstitutional and will not stand. @CivilRights is examining this closely. Every father has not only a right but also a duty to stand up for his daughters, and the right to free speech is not curtailed by subjective “feelings.” https://t.co/CE0G2iS5Gd

— AAGHarmeetDhillon (@AAGDhillon) April 16, 2025