Fathers Win Right to Wear ‘XX’ Wristbands at New Hampshire Games

A New Hampshire school district will allow two fathers to wear pink wristbands marked “XX” at its sporting events under a settlement approved November 5 by U.S. District Judge Steven McAuliffe. The judgment says the district violated the men’s First Amendment protections by prohibiting the wristbands at a girls’ soccer game in September 2024. The symbols refer to female chromosomes and expressed opposition to transgender athletes competing in girls’ sports.

The dispute began at a game involving Bow High School and a team that included a transgender girl. School officials said they were acting to protect students from harassment, citing concerns about possible heckling and escalation. The fathers testified they did not intend to target or harass the player. They were later barred from school grounds.

The judgment protects the plaintiffs’ right to wear the wristbands silently at sporting events, including in spectator areas and parking lots. The district’s insurance fund will provide $225,000 to the Institute for Free Speech and $50,000 to the plaintiffs’ attorney. Each of the four plaintiffs will receive $17.91, representing the year the First Amendment was ratified.

A federal appeals court had found the plaintiffs were likely to prevail on their claim that officials discriminated against their viewpoint, and ordered the case returned for additional proceedings. The settlement ends more than two years of litigation. It binds the district and its successors, and the court can still ensure compliance. The Institute for Free Speech said the judgment came ahead of a Bow girls’ soccer playoff game scheduled for November 6.

Court Protects Wristbands Opposing Trans Athletes at School Games

A federal judgment now protects two fathers’ right to wear pink “XX” wristbands at Bow School District sporting events. The November 5 settlement also declares that the district violated their First Amendment rights by banning the silent protest at a girls’ soccer game in 2024.

The district said it acted to shield students from harassment, citing concerns about possible heckling. The fathers testified they did not intend to target the transgender player. The appeals court found no evidence that players saw the wristbands or that the protest disrupted the game before officials stepped in.

The result underscores why officials must not treat peaceful expression as harassment simply because a message is unwelcome. The district’s insurance fund will provide $275,000 in legal fees and costs, while each of four plaintiffs receives $17.91. The judgment covers school sporting events and remains enforceable even if district policies change.

Fathers’ Free-Speech Victory Protects Opposition to Trans Sports

Two fathers who opposed transgender participation in girls’ sports have won a court judgment protecting their silent protest at Bow School District events. The settlement approved November 5 declares that the district violated their First Amendment rights when it banned pink “XX” wristbands at a girls’ soccer game.

School officials defended their actions as necessary to guard students against harassment, pointing to concerns about possible heckling. But the fathers testified they did not mean to target the transgender player, and the appeals court found no evidence the wristbands disrupted the game before administrators intervened. The court’s ruling makes clear that officials cannot suppress a viewpoint merely because they object to it.

The district’s insurance fund will provide $225,000 to the Institute for Free Speech and $50,000 to the plaintiffs’ attorney. Four plaintiffs will each receive $17.91, a sum tied to the year the First Amendment was ratified. The protection applies at district sporting events and remains in force even if district policies are revised.