NH Judge Upholds Ban on Parents' Trans Athlete Protest

A federal judge in New Hampshire ruled against parents who wore pink 'XX' wristbands to protest a transgender athlete, Parker Tirrell, competing in a girls' high school soccer match, rejecting their First Amendment claims. The parents had been issued a school district trespass notice, barring them from attending games. Judge Steven McAuliffe found that, even if the parents did not intend a demeaning message, the wristbands could be interpreted as targeting and harassing Tirrell, and that the district acted appropriately to protect students. The judge emphasized that speech at school events is subject to greater regulation as these are limited public forums. The parents, represented by the Institute for Free Speech, strongly disagreed with the ruling and said it undermined free speech rights at school events. The case highlights ongoing legal and social debates over transgender participation in school sports and protest boundaries on school property.