Midwest

Wisconsin governor's push to erase gendered language from state law ignites debate

Published

12 months ago

March 5, 2025

Wisconsin governor's push to erase gendered language from state law ignites debate

Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ proposal to apparently remove gendered language from state law is sparking debate about the impact it could have on the family and society at large.

Evers has come under fire after introducing a budget recommendation that would change the word “mother” to “inseminated person” in the context of IVF and “paternity” to “parentage” in some parts of state law.

The Evers administration’s budget recommendation for the 2025-2027 fiscal period also advises several other gendered terms be changed. References to “wife” or “husband” are changed to “spouse” in the proposal. In other places, the word “father” is changed to “parent,” and “mother” is swapped out for the phrase “parent who gave birth to the child.”

Now, critics are analyzing the impact these changes could have on culture as a whole.

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Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers speaks to supporters during an election night event at The Orpheum Theater on November 8, 2022 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)

Jay Richards, the director of the DeVos Center for Life, Religion and Family, argued that the proposal is an “ideological campaign” and explained that understanding reality is partly shaped by the language the culture uses. If people cannot distinguish between the sexes in language, it will be more difficult for young people to understand the reality of sex and marriage, he argued.

“If somebody says these kind of word changes are not a big deal, I always say, ‘OK, then why are you trying to do it?’ ….Clearly, somebody thinks it’s a big deal, or they would not have bothered to actually do it,” he told Fox News Digital.

Richards said that gender ideologues are trying to “erase language that would refer to the reality of sex” and proposals like Evers’ could cause confusion among young people about marriage. The most “perverse” consequence of gender ideology, he argued, is that many children growing up in 2025 entertain the “thought that they might be born in the wrong body.”

“In other words, that their self and their body are these two fundamentally different things, and so if they feel discomfort with their body, rather than learning to become satisfied and content with their body, they imagine that through drugs and surgery, they can transform their body to conform to some kind of internal idea,” he said. “That, to me, is the most toxic aspect of gender ideology because it essentially alienates children from the bodies that God has given them.”

Laura Dunn, a civil and victims’ rights attorney and Bailey Duquette partner, had a different perspective, explaining she is “happy” and “hopeful” to see Evers’ proposed changes because they take into consideration “generations that are feeling more free to express gender identity” while under “heavy attack.”

Dunn argued that those hoping to stick to the “gender binary” don’t often consider the “real-life consequences from individuals who are being discriminated, targeted, harassed and even abused as a result of breaking those forced norms and deciding to identify how they want.”

“Our Constitution doesn’t just guarantee liberty, it actually guarantees the pursuit of happiness, which is self-expression, which is allowing people to identify how they feel,” she said. “It is inherently part of the freedom of our country to have more openness and inclusiveness, and it’s very alarming in this political era, to see a backlash against that.”

Evers defended the changes by arguing they’re designed to provide legal clarity in state law for families and those who use IVF.

“What we want is legal certainty that moms are able to get the care they need,” Evers told reporters in Wausau on Monday. “That’s it. End of story.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Gov. Evers, and his office did not respond to requests for comment. However, he has argued the proposals are designed to provide legal clarity in state law for families and those who use IVF.

“What we want is legal certainty that moms are able to get the care they need,” Evers told reporters last month. “That’s it. End of story.”

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Detroit, MI

Rex Satterfield’s 1956 Bel Air takes 2026 Ridler Award in Detroit

Published

1 hour ago

March 2, 2026

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Rex Satterfield’s 1956 Bel Air takes 2026 Ridler Award in Detroit

Rex Satterfield hoped to see his 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible snag one of the BASF Great 8 finalist spots at this year’s Detroit Autorama. But winning the Ridler Award — one of the highest honors in the custom car business — was something he didn’t foresee.

“It’s just overwhelming right now,” said the man from Russellville, Tennessee, as he left a ballroom at downtown’s Huntington Place and made his way back to the show floor on Sunday, March 1. “We weren’t expecting this.”

Getting a car recognized as one of the BASF Great 8 vehicles is a win in and of itself as they are considered the “absolute pinnacle of custom automotive craftsmanship worldwide,” according to the show. The cars undergo an intensive judging process.

And this effort had an unexpected and emotional complication with the passing in December 2024 of the original builder, Jeff Wolfenbarger, who was battling cancer even as he continued working on the car named “Elegant Lady.”

Kevin Riffey of Kevin Riffey’s Hot Rods and Restorations in Knoxville stepped in to finish the work Wolfenbarger started. He’d had two other cars in the past make the Great 8. He said the goal with this vehicle was straightforward, calling it a “purpose-built show car.”

From its prominent spot at the front of the show floor, “Elegant Lady” sported a creamy exterior, dubbed Light Coffee. The car carries a 1,000 horsepower Don Hardy race engine. The gauges, wheels and gas tank are custom, and the dash is from a 1956 Pontiac.

Satterfield plans to show the car around some and enjoy the moment with it. He said he’s been a car guy since he was a little kid.

The Ridler Award, named in honor of Detroit Autorama’s first publicist, Don Ridler, comes with a $10,000 prize. It was awarded on the final day of this year’s Detroit Autorama, which ran Friday, Feb. 27-Sunday, March 1. This was the event’s 73rd year.

Eric D. Lawrence is the senior car culture reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Send your tips and suggestions about cool automotive stuff to elawrence@freepress.com. Become a subscriber. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters.

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Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee Weather – Frosty and cold morning, sunny day ahead

Published

2 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

MILWAUKEE – Forecast from FOX6 Meteorologist Lisa Michaels

Frosty Monday morning with temps in the teens inland to low 20s near the lake.
Mostly sunny to sunny skies on Monday. Highs in the mid-40s inland, upper 30s near the lake.
A total lunar eclipse will happen Tuesday morning, total eclipse from 5-6am. It may be tough to see due to increasing clouds.
Increasing clouds on Tuesday with highs in the low 40s. Chance of rain and storms possible Wednesday through Friday with warming temperatures.

Today: 39 Lake. Mostly sunny.
High: 44°
Wind: SE 5-10

Tonight: Partly cloudy this evening, mostly clear overnight.
Low: 27°
Wind: SE 5

Tuesday: 39 Lake. Mostly cloudy.
High: 43°
Wind: E 5-10

Wednesday:41 Lake. Chance for scattered showers and t-storms.
AM Low: 32° High: 45°
Wind: E 5-10

Thursday: 39 Lake. Mostly cloudy. Chance storms.
AM Low: 37° High: 42°
Wind: NE 5-10

Friday: Chance for showers and t-storms Warmer. Warming at night.
AM Low: 37° High: 57°
Wind: SE 5-15

Saturday: Mostly cloudy with AM rain showers. Blustery with falling afternoon temperatures.
AM Low: 47° High: 53°
Wind: NE 5-10

6-day planner

FOX6 Weather Extras

Local perspective:

Meanwhile, FOX6Now.com offers a variety of extremely useful weather tools to help you navigate the stormy season. They include the following:

FOX6 Storm Center app

FOX LOCAL Mobile app

FOX Weather app

FOX Weather

Big picture view:

Maps and radar

We have a host of maps and radars on the FOX6 Weather page that are updating regularly — to provide you the most accurate assessment of the weather. From a county-by-county view to the Midwest regional radar and a national view — it’s all there.

School and business closings

When the weather gets a little dicey, schools and businesses may shut down. Monitor the latest list of closings, cancellations, and delays reported in southeast Wisconsin.

FOX6 Weather Experts in social media

Daily ForecastWeatherMilwaukee

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Minneapolis, MN

Man on Conditional Release Now Charged in Minneapolis Murder — MNCRIME.com

Published

2 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Man on Conditional Release Now Charged in Minneapolis Murder — MNCRIME.com

A man is now charged with murder after prosecutors say a robbery inside a Minneapolis apartment building ended in a fatal shooting.

Prosecutors say the man was on conditional release after being charged with first-degree armed carjacking for an incident in Minneapolis last September.

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The killing happened Feb. 24 inside the Abbott Apartments lounge area on the 100 block of East 18th Street, where police found an adult man dead from gunshot wounds after reports of a shooting.

Court documents state the victim and a friend went to the building to meet 20-year-old Abdirahman Khayre Khayre. A witness stated Khayre left the room several times and appeared to be stalling before three armed men entered and demanded property. The men were described as carrying two Glock-style handguns with extended magazines and an AR-style rifle. During the robbery, the suspects demanded a Louis Vuitton bag belonging to the victim. When the victim resisted, a struggle broke out. The witness stated that two guns were taken from him during the robbery.

The witness told investigators Khayre was handed one of the stolen guns and then pointed it at him, causing him to flee into the lobby. Moments later, multiple gunshots were heard. The witness returned and found the victim shot. Surveillance footage from other areas of the building reportedly corroborated key parts of the account, and the witness later identified Khayre in a photo lineup, according to the complaint.

PREVIOUSLY: Man Shot and Killed Inside Minneapolis Apartment Building

Authorities say Khayre was on conditional release at the time of the killing in a separate Hennepin County case involving a September 2025 armed carjacking.

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In that earlier case, prosecutors alleged Khayre and others confronted a woman in a garage near 19th Street and Nicollet Avenue, pointed handguns at her and forced her to give up the keys to a Dodge Challenger before fleeing in the stolen vehicle. Officers later located the vehicle and arrested multiple suspects, including Khayre, who was identified as the driver.

Court records show Khayre posted a $75,000 non-cash bond and was released under conditions requiring him to remain law-abiding, have no possession of firearms or ammunition, avoid alcohol and controlled substances and complete treatment.

Khayre is now charged with second-degree murder without intent while committing a felony and first-degree aggravated robbery. He made an initial court appearance Friday, where a judge set bail at $1 million. If convicted of second-degree felony murder, he faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.

The homicide investigation remains ongoing. Authorities have not yet released the identity of the victim. Anyone with information is asked to contact Minneapolis police by emailing policetips@minneapolismn.gov or calling 612-673-5845. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or online. Information leading to an arrest and conviction may be eligible for a financial reward.

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