After Fox Varian won her groundbreaking $2 million verdict against the doctors who fast-tracked her into a mastectomy at age 16, after President Trump’s executive orders on biological reality, after federal Judge Roger Benitez struck down California’s “gender secrecy” policies, many parents have told me the same thing: “Thank God that’s over. We won.”
I hate to break it to you: We didn’t win. Not even close.
The message was clear: challenge gender ideology and we’ll destroy you.
While parents were celebrating recent court victories, boys are still competing in girls’ sports in New York City schools. Manhattan school board member Maud Maron introduced Resolution 248 to review the policy allowing biological males to play on girls’ teams, but was removed from her position by Chancellor David Banks in June 2024. Though a federal judge later reinstated her, ruling her First Amendment rights were violated, she still lost her re-election bid in June 2025. The message was clear: challenge gender ideology and we’ll destroy you.
And perhaps most disturbing: your ten-year-old is still being taught gender ideology as settled fact in fifth-grade health class.
The educator’s response was crystal clear: “I can’t change or remove content on gender identity and sex assigned at birth. I’m required by NYC Public Schools to follow the National Sex Education Standards for 5th grade and NYC Public School policy.”
I recently obtained an email exchange between a Manhattan public school mother and a puberty educator from The Puberty Project. The mother had done her homework. She reviewed materials, prepared thoughtful questions about the gender identity component of the curriculum, and requested a call to discuss her concerns.
The educator’s response was crystal clear: “I can’t change or remove content on gender identity and sex assigned at birth. I’m required by NYC Public Schools to follow the National Sex Education Standards for 5th grade and NYC Public School policy.”
In other words: Your concerns don’t matter. The ideology is non-negotiable.
The National Sex Education Standards require fifth graders — ten-year-olds — to “distinguish between sex assigned at birth and gender identity.” They must be taught that biological sex is merely “assigned” at birth and that gender identity is what really matters.
The educator claimed gender identity is “only about 10 minutes” of the program. But then admitted: “In middle school, kids talk about gender identity from a historic view in Social Studies, read books with transgender characters in ELA, and talk more about gender identity in health classes.”
This is a pipeline.
Fifth grade plants the seeds.
Middle school nurtures them.
By high school, schools can socially transition your child: change their name, pronouns, bathroom access, without telling you.
NYC’s Guidelines on Gender state that when a student doesn’t want parents knowing about their gender identity, schools address it “case-by-case.” Translation: secrets from parents.
Prepare your kids before the school gets to them with this ideology. Explain that some adults believe people can be born in the wrong body, but this isn’t true. Boys are boys. Girls are girls. Their body isn’t wrong.
So while the Supreme Court hears arguments about transgender athletes and Trump’s Education Department demands states remove gender ideology from sex ed, your NYC daughter is still competing against boys and your fifth grader is learning that biological sex is something “assigned” by doctors rather than observed as biological fact.
Parents must act now. Talk to your kids. Ask what they’re learning in health, Social Studies, English. Ask specific questions: “Did anyone talk about gender identity today?” “What did they say about boys and girls?” Prepare them before the school gets to them with this ideology. Explain that some adults believe people can be born in the wrong body, but this isn’t true. Boys are boys. Girls are girls. Their body isn’t wrong.
Put teachers on notice. Email them. Show up at curriculum nights. Ask: “Will you teach my child that sex is assigned at birth?” “Will you notify me if my child asks to be called a different name or pronoun?”
Talk to other parents. Most have no idea this is happening. They think the opt-out form covers it. They don’t know their child can be socially transitioned without their knowledge. Share information. Organize. Use resources like our Gender Toolkit, released 18 months ago, which provides fact-based strategies for fighting this (we’re raising funds to update it for current policies at restorechildhood.org/donate).
Trump’s executive orders matter.
But the real fight is in your child’s classroom, governed by state and local officials who are doubling down on gender ideology, counting on parents to think the fight is over.
Fox Varian won her case but will live with the consequences forever. California already appealed Benitez’s ruling. Maud Maron lost her school board seat. The victories matter, but the war isn’t over.
Your ten-year-old is being taught right now that biological sex is “assigned.” Your middle schooler is reading books normalizing medical transition. Your high schooler might be living as the opposite sex at school without your knowledge.
The time to act isn’t when your child comes home confused. It’s now. Before the ideology takes root. Before the school creates a “gender support plan” without you. Before your daughter loses her spot to a biological male.
The fight isn’t over. It’s happening in your kids’ classroom right now.
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