Parents at a New Hampshire school are speaking out after being banned for wearing arm bands with “XX” to support their biologically female athletes who were being forced to play against a male who identifies as female. Parents were unhappy when they found out their female soccer players from Bow High School would be forced to compete against a team consisting of a biological male. When they brought their concerns to the school’s athletic director, Mike Desilets, they were told there was nothing the school could do due to a recent federal judge’s recent ruling that “girl” also included biological males. So, several parents decided to wear pink arm bands with “XX” to a Tuesday soccer game to support their girls.

The school, however, would not stand for it. According to NH Journal, officials stopped the game and demanded the parents remove the arm bands and placed “No Trespassing” orders against at least two of the parents. The school barred the parents from entering any of its buildings, grounds and property, including the athletic fields. Anthony Foote received a letter from the school, informing him he was banned from extracurricular activities both at and away from the school. “You participated and led the protest, which was designed to and had the effect of intimidating, threatening, harassing, and discouraging that student from playing,” the school allegedly said in the letter. “The District had to obtain additional police presence to ensure order. The District had to order you to remove the armbands and as a result of your ‘protest’ and other actions, play was temporarily stopped.” Superintendent of Schools Marcy Kelley signed the order.

Foote called the ban “ridiculous.” ““My daughter’s playing in the homecoming game this weekend, and I’m banned until the 23^rd. I can’t watch her play in homecoming — which is ridiculous,” he told the Journal. Foote stated that parents who wore the armbands did not disrupt the game in any way, stating that it was other parents who disagreed with the arm bands who became disruptive. He stated he has no issue with the transgender student, Parker Tirell, but that he is concerned with the precedent being set. “I don’t care what Parker wants to do with his life. What I do care about is that my daughter could be physically hurt, maybe not by Parker because he’s not the biggest kid on the field. But there’s a chance that next time will be different.” In 2022, 17-year-old Payton McNabb was partially paralyzed during a volleyball game when a biological male spiked the ball at her.  A later medical evaluation determined she had suffered a concussion, partial paralysis to the right side of her brain, and vision problems. Foote stated that parents need to speak out. “Bow is a very blue town, and the people who run things will defend any liberal issue. It’s hard to speak out. But I would say there’s a silent majority.”