West
Families sue California AG over trans athlete law after girl loses varsity spot to transgender competitor
The families of two teenage girls are suing California Attorney General Rob Bonta over the state’s laws that allow transgender athletes to compete in girls sports.
A lawsuit was filed by Ryan Starling, the father of Taylor Starling; Daniel and Cynthia Slavin, the parents to Kaitlyn Slavin; and Save Girls Sports, according to court documents reviewed by Fox News Digital.
The listed defendants are Bonta and California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, along with the Riverside Unified School district and administrators Leann Iacuone and Amanda Chann.
SIGN UP FOR TUBI AND STREAM SUPER BOWL LIX FOR FREE
A gender-neutral bathroom at the University of California, Irvine in Irvine, Calif. (Reuters/Lucy Nicholson)
The suit challenges a law in California that allows transgender athletes to compete against girls and women, claiming it is a Title IX violation.
The law, AB 1266, has been in effect since 2014, giving California students at scholastic and collegiate levels the right to “participate in sex-segregated school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil’s records.”
“This law conflicts with federal Title IX protections, which were established to ensure fairness, safety, and equal opportunities for female students and athletes,” a spokesperson for Advocates for Faith & Freedom, the legal firm representing the families, told Fox News Digital in a statement.
HOW TO WATCH SUPER BOWL LIX BETWEEN CHIEFS, EAGLES STREAMED ON TUBI
Students at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, Calif., wear T-shirts that say “Save Girls Sports” to protest a transgender athlete on the cross country team. (Courtesy of Sophia Lorey)
“AB 1266 undermines female athletes, forcing them to compete against biological males who hold undeniable physical advantages. This is not equality. This is an assault on fairness and safety.”
The lawsuit, recently amended to include Bonta and Thurmond, was initially filed in November by the Starling and Slavin families.
It alleges Taylor Starling lost her spot on the varsity cross country team at Martin Luther King High School to a transgender athlete who had just transferred to the school. Starling and Slavin also alleged that when they wore shirts that said “Save Girls Sports” in protest, they were scolded by administrators who compared the shirts to swastikas.
The plaintiffs are looking to bring statewide change to California.
“Plaintiffs seek a federal ruling that AB 1266 violates Title IX as well as a decision holding the District accountable for violating their First Amendment rights. They demand injunctive relief to stop schools from forcing biological girls to compete with and against males, a judgment affirming sex-based protections in athletics and compensation for damages caused by these discriminatory policies,” the Advocates for Faith & Freedom spokesperson said.
HOW TRANSGENDERISM IN SPORTS SHIFTED THE 2024 ELECTION AND IGNITED A NATIONAL COUNTERCULTURE
Transgender athlete supporters hold up signs at left as Tori Hitchcock, center, of the Young Women for America, and Salomay McCullough, right, show off their “Save Girls Sports” shirts. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Ryan Starling previously told Fox News Digital the loss of his daughter’s varsity spot disrupted his entire family emotionally, because cross country played a pivotal role in her life. And then when his daughter and other girls on the team confronted their school administrators about it, he claims, they were told “transgenders have more rights than cisgenders.”
“It’s been told multiple times to not just Taylor, but her sister,” Ryan Starling said, adding that Taylor is one of three triplets, and all three are active on varsity sports teams. “All the administrators at Martin Luther King have stated this comment, and the Title IX coordinator for the Riverside Unified School District has stated ‘that as a Cisgender girl, they do not have the same rights as a transgender girl’ to multiple girls, not just our daughters, but multiple girls on campus.”
An RUSD spokesperson declined to give an official comment on Ryan Starling’s claims in a conversation with Fox News Digital.
The RUSD previously provided a statement to Fox News Digital insisting that its handling of the situation has been in accordance with California state law.
“While these rules were not created by RUSD, the district is committed to complying with the law and CIF regulations. California state law prohibits discrimination of students based on gender, gender identity and gender expression and specifically prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in physical education and athletics. The protections we provide to all students are not only aligned with the law but also with our core values which include equity and well-being,” the statement said.
Dan Slavin previously told Fox News Digital his family may continue to raise awareness of this issue in the 2026 California gubernatorial election if the issue hasn’t been resolved.
“If nothing changes here in the next couple of years, it absolutely should be part of the next election,” he said.
“I want to see policies change,” Slavin added. “I keep saying the system is broken, and it’s doing more harm than good. And I want to see people understand that and admit that. Sometimes, we make mistakes, and it’s OK to admit that, but we need to make changes and get out of those mistakes we make.”
California State Assemblymember Kate Sanchez announced in early January she is introducing a bill to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls and women’s sports.
Sanchez, a Republican, will propose the Protect Girls’ Sports Act to the state legislature. Currently, 25 states have similar laws in effect.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Read the full article from Here
The Oregon Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 6, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from May 6 drawing
18-27-51-65-68, Powerball: 05, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 6 drawing
1PM: 8-9-4-6
4PM: 0-3-3-1
7PM: 3-7-1-9
10PM: 5-4-8-0
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Win for Life numbers from May 6 drawing
07-45-52-54
Check Win for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Megabucks numbers from May 6 drawing
03-09-10-28-31-39
Check Megabucks payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Oregon Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 7:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 7:59 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 4: 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily.
- Win for Life: 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Megabucks: 7:29 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Oregon editor. You can send feedback using this form.
SALT LAKE CITY — The “Flame of Hope” made its way to the Utah State Capitol Wednesday morning as Special Olympics athletes and law enforcement came together for the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run.
The event is part of a 45-year tradition that raises awareness and support for Special Olympics athletes while strengthening the partnership between law enforcement and the community.
Paralympians ski in shorts and T-shirts, and some ask: Shouldn’t these Games be earlier?
“Law enforcement across the country teams up with Special Olympics chapters throughout the country and we do a torch run which is a fundraiser,” said Bill Newell, Law Enforcement Torch Run Council Chairman.
Organizers say the goal goes beyond fundraising — it’s about visibility and recognition for athletes across Utah.
“We want them to be recognized. We want the community to see these athletes and what tremendous people they are and what great contributions they make,” Newell said.
For athletes, the Torch Run is also a chance to be seen and celebrated for their accomplishments.
“I would like to thank the First Lady, Commissioner Mason, Chief Reed, Special Olympics Utah and everyone who joined us today. Thank you for being here. Because of you, athletes like me are seen, heard and celebrated,” said Special Olympics athlete Josh Roberts.
The Torch Run will continue across Utah throughout the month, leading up to the Special Olympics Utah Summer Games in Cedar City on May 28.
“Join us in Cedar City for the Special Olympics Utah Summer Games. Come cheer, come celebrate and be a part of something very special. It’ll be the best thing you’ll do all summer,” Roberts said.
Law enforcement agencies across the state will continue participating alongside Special Olympics athletes as the Torch Run moves from community to community ahead of the final leg in Cedar City.
Could one of New York City’s most iconic parks soon be surrounded by gates?
At a Wednesday night meeting of the local Community Board’s Parks Committee, tensions ran high over whether or not to install locked gates at Washington Square Park.
The historic Washington Square Arch welcomes visitors from near and far to the park, but when the clock strikes midnight, the police and Parks Department put up French barricades, cross-chained together, until 6 a.m.
Some residents, however, said the barricades aren’t aesthetically pleasing.
“Now it’s time to replace the unattractive police barricades with appropriate gates that really represent the history of that park,” landscape architect George Vellonakis said.
Others said the barricades aren’t effective at keeping people out. One resident shared a photo of a person sleeping overnight on a mattress in the park.
Opponents, however, argued gates aren’t the answer to that issue, and some longtime residents said they hoped the park would be open 24/7.
“I think that the barricades have to go. I think they’re really, really ugly,” one person said. “They’re really hard for the Parks Department and the police to handle, and they don’t work.”
“Particularly Millennials and Gen Z will have these changes for the rest of their lives,” another person said. “I enjoy traveling other similar parks in Europe where you can walk at all hours of the night.”
Back in 2005, the Parks Department considered installing gates but canceled the plan after fierce opposition from the community. A Community Board member said the idea to install gates resurfaced during COVID when overnight gatherings in the park got out of hand.
“We are not anti-gate. We do believe that they should find more effective ways to support the NYPD,” Washington Square Association President Erica Sumner said.
The committee voted on a resolution to formally ask the Parks Department for its recommendations.
-
North Dakota4 seconds agoCFB Analyst Forecasts North Dakota State’s Postseason Matchup
-
Ohio6 minutes agoWhat is the status of the MAGA movement in Ohio? And what does it mean for the 2026 Election?
-
Oklahoma12 minutes agoSuspect arrested in deadly party shooting by Oklahoma lake
-
Oregon18 minutes ago
Oregon Lottery Powerball, Pick 4 results for May 6
-
Pennsylvania24 minutes ago
Pennsylvania Lottery Powerball, Pick 2 Day results for May 6, 2026
-
Rhode Island30 minutes agoEast Greenwich Rings the Bell of Independence
-
South-Carolina36 minutes agoFormer South Carolina QB Stephen Garcia diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer at 38 years old
-
South Dakota42 minutes ago
SD Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for May 6, 2026