On October 1st, approximately 60 students at Esperanza High School in Anaheim, California collectively staged a walkout in protest of the school’s policy allowing male students who identify as transgender to use female restrooms. The protest took place on campus and drew support from individuals opposing California’s allowance of transgender males to participate in women’s sports events and access women’s restrooms and changing rooms. They called on the Trump administration to fulfill its promise to withhold federal funding for schools allegedly violating Title IX.
Sophia Lorey, outreach director of the California Family Council and former college women’s soccer player, expressed her views in an interview with Epoch Times after the event. She emphasized the need for the federal government to start withdrawing or withholding federal funds, especially in states like California that continuously put girls at risk.
Lorey pointed out that many parents may think Title IX only applies to sports competitions, but the walkout showed that even female students who simply want to safely use restrooms on campus are affected. The event was attended by approximately 35 female students and 25 male students, with Lorey criticizing state legislators for failing to protect the safety of girls.
Lesley Ledesma, an 11th-grade student who led the walkout, highlighted the concerns of female students regarding a transgender male using female restrooms. She expressed feeling uncomfortable and unsafe, stating that the situation made her feel unfairly treated and disrespected. Ledesma stressed the importance of finding a solution that ensures the rights and feelings of all students are protected, rather than catering to select groups.
Reflecting on the incident at Esperanza High School where a transgender male student used female restrooms, Ledesma, who has attended the school since freshman year, shared her sense of loss of the safety she once felt on campus. She emphasized that everyone deserves dignity, but dignity should not come at the expense of jeopardizing others’ sense of security.
Echoing her concerns, her brother, Eddie Ledesma, expressed distress witnessing his sister’s experience. He emphasized the importance of creating a safe environment where she and all girls can feel secure, stressing that it is about respect rather than hatred.
During the walkout, Sonja Shaw, chair of the Chino Valley Unified School District Board and advocate for parent rights, highlighted the normalization of gender ideology, leading girls to be told they must sacrifice their privacy, safety, and dignity to accommodate boys using their restrooms. She emphasized that the fight to protect girls has become a nationwide effort, rejecting the notion of progress when it comes at the expense of harming girls.
Shaw warned that if California continues promoting gender ideology in schools, the situation will only worsen. She criticized officials for either remaining silent or defending policies that put children at risk, stating their commitment to protecting children from such circumstances.
She stressed the necessity of immediate action, highlighting statements from California Governor, state legislators, CIF, and numerous district boards firmly standing their ground on the issue. Shaw reiterated the importance of Title IX in protecting women and insisted that any defiance from schools or state government should result in a withdrawal of federal funds.
President Trump’s administration’s executive orders have made it clear that only two genders – biological males and females – are recognized. The orders affirm that only females are eligible for women’s sports and using women’s facilities. These actions have sparked legal disputes amid shifting policies related to Title IX.
In September, the Trump administration warned the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota State High School League for not complying with Title IX, which prohibits gender discrimination in federally funded education programs. The Department of Education completed an investigation in June into the California Department of Education and CIF, accusing them of discriminating against females in sports. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon underlined the administration’s commitment to protecting women and girls under Title IX.
According to the Department of Justice, the California Department of Education has jurisdiction over CIF, which oversees over 1.8 million high school students and more than 750,000 student-athletes statewide. In response to California’s legislation supporting transgender athletes, federal prosecutors filed a lawsuit against the state, claiming it violated Title IX by depriving female students of equal participation opportunities in athletic competitions.
Equality California, an LGBT rights organization, condemned the investigation results as a dangerous distortion of Title IX and a direct attack on transgender youth in California. The organization emphasized the unconditional presence of transgender youth in schools, sports teams, and communities.
As of now, the California Governor’s office has not responded to requests for comments.
In a podcast episode in March, Governor Gavin Newsom acknowledged the unfairness of allowing males to participate in women’s sports. While he faced criticism for his remarks, especially in the wake of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk’s death at a university campus in Utah, Democratic State Senator Scott Wiener praised Newsom’s past efforts in defending the LGBT community but pushed back against his recent comments. Newsom has since highlighted the importance of fairness in sports competitions and expressed opposition to the federal government repealing California laws and policies in this regard.