Northeast
Federal judge pushes back on parents calling trans athlete 'a boy' in legal battle over pro-girls protests
New Hampshire Judge Steven McAuliffe presided over a case involving parents in the state who wore pro-girl armbands at a high school girls soccer game that included a transgender athlete. During the case, McAuliffe pushed back on the parents for repeatedly referring to the athlete as a boy.
“You seem to go out of your way to suggest there’s no such thing as a trans girl,” McAuliffe said during the hearing.
McAuliffe’s federal judicial service dates back to 1992, when he was appointed by former President George H.W. Bush. On Thursday, McAuliffe heard arguments in a case in which plaintiffs Kyle Fellers and Anthony Foote sued the Bow School District after being banned from school grounds for wearing the wristbands at their daughters’ soccer game in September.
THE PRONOUN POLICE HAVE ARRIVED AND ARE COMING FOR YOU NEXT
The wristbands said “XX” in reference to the natural female chromosomes. The “XX” logo has become an unspoken symbol of the ongoing legal and political battle against transgender inclusion in girls and women’s sports across the country. Many consider it a women’s rights phenomenon.
The no-trespass orders have since expired, but McAuliffe is deciding whether the plaintiffs should be allowed to wear the wristbands and carry signs at upcoming school events, including basketball games, swim meets and a music concert, while the case proceeds.
They wore the wristbands because another federal judge in New Hampshire, Landya McCafferty, who was appointed to her seat by President Obama in 2013, ruled two transgender athletes would be allowed to play on high school girls soccer teams, overruling a state law in place to prevent that from happening.
Fifteen-year-old Parker Tirrell, a transgender athlete, was allowed to compete for Plymouth Regional High School. In a lawsuit filed by Fellers and Foote, they alleged they were told by school officials to remove the armbands or they would have to leave the game.
TRANS VOLLEYBALL PLAYER LEGAL HEARING OPENED WITH LONG AND HEATED DEBATE OVER WHAT PRONOUNS TO USE
Both of the fathers say the intention of the armband was not to protest Tirrell, but to support their own daughters in a game that featured a biological male.
McAuliffe questioned the notion that the wristbands were in support of their own daughters.
“Sometimes the message you think you’re sending might not be the message that is being sent,” he said.
McAuliffe asked Foote whether it occurred to him that a transgender person might interpret the pink XX wristbands as an attempt to invalidate their existence.
“If he’s a trans female, pink might be a color he likes,” Foote responded.
Transgender inclusion in girls’ and women’s sports emerged as a mainstream political issue in the last few years. Instances of athletes discovered to be male and then legally protected to continue playing have emerged in rapid succession since the start of the Biden administration.
This includes instances like those involving Tirrell in New Hampshire and others in Virginia and California. At the college level, a situation at San Jose State University involving a transgender volleyball player has prompted multiple lawsuits and a media firestorm. It became a talking point of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign before his recent election win.
Trump and even his wife, Melania, who has admitted to disagreeing with Republicans on issues of LGBT rights, each announced they are opposed to letting biological males compete in girls and women’s sports. Trump advocated for a blanket ban during a Fox News town hall event on the campaign trail.
Multiple states filed lawsuits and enacted their own laws to address the issue after the Biden-Harris administration issued a sweeping rule that clarified that Title IX’s ban on “sex” discrimination in schools covers discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation and “pregnancy or related conditions,” in April.
The administration insisted the regulation does not address athletic eligibility. However, multiple experts presented evidence to Fox News Digital in June that it would ultimately put more biological men in women’s sports.
The Supreme Court then voted 5-4 in August to reject an emergency request by the Biden administration to enforce portions of that new rule after more than two dozen Republican attorneys general sued to block the Title IX changes in their own states.
During the most recent election cycle, multiple Democrats, including Texas Rep. Collin Allred backtracked on past support for transgender inclusion in women’s sports.
That trend continued after the election when Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton spoke out against his party’s stance and actions in enabling transgender inclusion in multiple interviews, inciting fierce backlash and even a massive pro-transgender rally outside his office.
Now, multiple judges like McAuliffe across the country are presiding over cases about the eligibility of transgender athletes in sports.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Boston, MA
NESN Releases 2024-25 Boston Fleet Broadcast Schedule
BOSTON — NESN announced Wednesday its broadcast schedule for the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) 2024-25 season, featuring coverage of every Boston Fleet regular-season game. The season begins with the Fleet hitting the road against the Toronto Sceptres on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 2 p.m. ET.
In an unprecedented partnership, Bauer has been named the presenting sponsor of NESN’s PWHL broadcast coverage. This marks Bauer’s first integrated sponsorship with a regional sports network around PWHL programming, granting the company exclusive sponsorship rights to all PWHL games airing on NESN throughout the season.
Along with the 30 regular-season Fleet games, which will be broadcast on NESN or NESN+, the network will also air 31 other PWHL games throughout the year.
“At NESN, we are committed to becoming the home for women’s sports in New England, and we’re excited to continue our partnership with the PWHL to showcase the passion and energy of professional women’s hockey,” said Cosmina Schulman, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at NESN. “This season we’re thrilled to welcome Bauer as the presenting sponsor of our PWHL coverage, adding a dynamic partner to help elevate the visibility and impact of women’s hockey. The PWHL captured the attention of the sports world with an electrifying inaugural season last year, and we’re excited to play a part in building on that momentum.”
“NESN is not only a strategic partner because of its impactful platform, but also because our values are aligned,” said Mary-Kay Messier, VP of Global Marketing at Bauer Hockey. “A key priority for our team at Bauer has been investing in and elevating the women’s game. This includes expanding our PWHL partnership, introducing new authentic and replica jerseys for this season, and a campaign to celebrate both the players and fans that will launch with this new media agreement. Through our collaboration with NESN, we will further elevate the women’s game and provide well-earned exposure to the athletes and the league. We can’t wait for the puck to drop.”
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“NESN is the premier destination for sports in New England, and we’re thrilled to continue our partnership as the Boston Fleet return for Season Two of the PWHL,” said Amy Scheer, PWHL Senior Vice President of Business Operations. “In our inaugural season, NESN played a vital role in connecting fans to the league. Looking ahead, their coverage will provide outstanding visibility for our teams and players, and it’s fitting to have our Official Jersey Partner, Bauer, included as part of the broadcasts.”
The Fleet’s home opener will take place Dec. 4 against the Minnesota Frost at Tsongas Center in Lowell, Mass., in a rematch of last season’s PWHL Finals. The regular-season finale for the Fleet will also feature the Frost on May 3 at Tsongas Center, and the PWHL playoffs are scheduled to begin May 6.
See the full Boston Fleet schedule below (all times Eastern):
Saturday, Nov. 30: at Toronto Sceptres (2 p.m., NESN)
Wednesday, Dec. 4: vs. Minnesota Frost (7 p.m., NESN)
Sunday, Dec. 8: vs. New York Sirens (4 p.m., NESN)
Tuesday, Dec. 17: vs. Ottawa Charge (7 p.m., NESN+)
Friday, Dec. 27: at Toronto Sceptres (7 p.m., NESN+)
Monday, Dec. 30: at Montreal Victoire (7 p.m., NESN)
Thursday, Jan. 2: at Minnesota Frost (7:30 p.m., NESN+)
Sunday, Jan. 5: vs. Montreal Victoire in Seattle (4 p.m., NESN+)
Wednesday, Jan. 8: at Minnesota Frost (7:30 p.m., NESN)
Saturday, Jan. 11: at Ottawa Charge (2 p.m., NESN)
Wednesday, Jan. 22: vs. Toronto Sceptres (7 p.m., NESN+)
Sunday, Jan. 26: at Minnesota Frost (3 p.m., NESN)
Friday, Jan. 31: vs. New York Sirens (7 p.m., NESN)
Wednesday, Feb. 12: at New York Sirens (7 p.m., NESN)
Friday, Feb. 14: at Toronto Sceptres (7 p.m., NESN)
Sunday, Feb. 16: vs. Minnesota Frost (1 p.m., NESN)
Monday, Feb. 17: at New York Sirens (4 p.m., NESN)
Thursday, Feb. 20: at Ottawa Charge (7 p.m., NESN)
Sunday, Feb. 23: at New York Sirens in Buffalo (4 p.m., NESN)
Saturday, March 1: at Montreal Victoire (TBA, NESN+)
Wednesday, March 5: vs. New York Sirens (7 p.m., NESN+)
Saturday, March 8: vs. Montreal Victoire (TBA, NESN+)
Saturday, March 15: at Ottawa Charge (2 p.m., NESN+)
Tuesday, March 18: vs. Montreal Victoire (7 p.m., NESN)
Wednesday, March 26: vs. Toronto Sceptres (TBA, NESN)
Saturday, March 29: vs. Ottawa Charge in St. Louis (2 p.m., NESN)
Wednesday, April 2: vs. Ottawa Charge (7 p.m., NESN+)
Saturday, April 26: vs. Toronto Sceptres (TBA, TBA)
Monday, April 28: at Montreal Victoire (TBA, NESN)
Saturday, May 3: vs. Minnesota Frost (TBA, TBA)
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Presented by Bauer Hockey: Proudly supporting greatness in women’s hockey.
Pittsburg, PA
Steelers Making Another QB Change?
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13, but a Week 12 loss to the Cleveland Browns is still lingering over their heads. With questions on both sides of the ball, the Steelers used their “mini bye week” to self-evaluate and adjust where needed. As for everyone else, they followed reports that have built into a frenzy over the last several days.
We’ll start with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. The Steelers are 5-0 against winning teams this season and have had moments where not one, but two quarterbacks have shined. George Pickens remains a superstar wideout and there’s promise in the running game. But according to one report, there are questions about the play-caller. And it’s those inside the Steelers facility who are asking.
Meanwhile, the Steelers may be starting to run out of magic with Russell Wilson. They’ve waited all season to see what their Super Bowl-winning veteran can do, and over the course of four games, at least two have been impressive. One, while not a terrible showing, came with a loss, and now there are thoughts on change.
According to an NFL insider, the Steelers could certainly make another swap at quarterback this season, going back to Justin Fields. So, let’s answer the question of “when?”
And T.J. Watt is holding back on making a switch to the other side? The former Defensive Player of the Year isn’t having the impact the Steelers need him to have, and it could be because teams are putting so much attention to his side. Moving around the defense could make a difference, but there’s a report claiming he’s reluctant to do so.
Why? And can Pittsburgh afford for him to say no?
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Connecticut
Top Thanksgiving sides revealed for each state — Connecticut and Massachusetts, you should be ashamed
Talk about a side hustle.
Turkey may be the main attraction at the Thanksgiving table, but side dishes are typically what have people going back for seconds.
However, not everyone opts for the same add-ons — and where you live might determine which is your favorite.
A new report by Online-Casinos.com has revealed each state’s favorite side dish — and prepare to be shocked by some tastes in two Northeast states.
Connecticut and Massachusetts have the most bizarre outlier as their favorite side dish: creamed spinach.
They’re not the only states with untraditional side dishes of choice.
Alabama and Indiana go crazy over deviled egg appetizers, while people in Wyoming complete their Thanksgiving with a bowl of tart, gelatinous cranberry sauce.
Corn casserole, on the other hand, was the favorite among respondents in Kentucky and West Virginia.
Meanwhile, mashed potatoes — perhaps the most traditional side dish — was voted favorite in 14 states.
Alaska, California, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Wisconsin have all crowned the fluffy, buttery form of potatoes as their favorite.
Mashed potatoes’ strongest competitor is stuffing, of course, taking the top spot for 12 states.
Arizona, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, Vermont, Virginia and Washington have all put the dish on top — whether they call it stuffing or dressing.
Macaroni and cheese is a comfort classic that has made its way to the Thanksgiving table, voted a favorite in eight states: Arkansas, Florida, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
The classic green bean casserole can’t be forgotten. The dish is most popular in six states: Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Then there’s sweet potato casserole, voted the top side in Georgia, Kansas and Mississippi.
When it comes to dessert, everyone can agree that pie is the dessert of Thanksgiving. The only thing that differs is what kind of pie people prefer to put on their table.
Though pumpkin pie is the clear favorite, according to 38 states.
However, some states preferred apple pie, such as Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Vermont.
Others preferred pecan pie, including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas.
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