19 Comments
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Joanne's avatar

The Department of Education is merely doing what every governmental agency in NAZI Germany did. That is, they are demonstrating to the public that a minority community is actually a non-human entity. Once they succeed in convincing the general population that we are not only a threat, but also not human (i.e. demonic), it will be easy to convince them that the logical, nay moral, solution is extermination. Hyperbole aside, this has played out before. The goal is to turn this into a holy war (i.e. reject the physical evidence and only accept what is being preached). We have to keep pushing back, and have to recognize that our very existence is under threat.

Brianna Amore's avatar

And it should be obvious to anybody who is paying attention that yes, this country really IS being run by Nazis.

Iris's avatar

It's fueled by hatred against the "demonic" to be sure, but it's gained more popularity because the language of disease and virality (think "social contagion", "woke mind virus," etc.) as metaphors of dehumanization seem much more tangible in the wake of the pandemic. Ironic that the same sort of people who didn't believe in a literal disease as it was actively killing people are more concerned with a "moral" pandemic than an actual pandemic.

Evelyn Belle Scott's avatar

The religious right is a junior partner in the current conservative coalition. The rhetoric they are using is not appealing to the bible, but rather to feminist rhetoric. Which is why plenty of "progressive" liberal types are happy to stand by and watch this happen.

The call is coming from inside the house, I'm afraid.

Sarah F's avatar

It's not mainstream feminist rhetoric. It's TERF rhetoric, if a TERF can even really be considered a feminist.

Evelyn Belle Scott's avatar

It's sort of splitting hairs. TERFs ARE the mainstream of feminism in 2026, and the sooner we come to terms with this, the better.

Sarah F's avatar

I don't agree. If you go to a women's march, 95% of the women there are non-TERF feminists. TERFs merely make the most noise. And IMO, they are the antithesis of feminists anyway. They reduce women and men to nothing more than reproduction and reproductive organs.

Mike Gelt's avatar

The Department of Education’s decision to target middle school students for participating in co-ed cheer squads is reckless, cruel, and fundamentally un-American.

This is not about fairness in sports.

It is about using the power of the federal government to intimidate children, punish schools, and enforce an ideological agenda that has nothing to do with education.

Middle school cheerleading is not a contact sport, not a competitive advantage arms race, and not a legitimate civil rights concern.

It is an extracurricular activity centered on teamwork, school spirit, and inclusion.

Dragging children into federal investigations over co-ed participation is an abuse of authority and a grotesque distortion of Title IX’s purpose.

Title IX was enacted to expand opportunity, not to weaponize bureaucracy against kids who do not conform to rigid gender expectations.

Threatening schools for allowing inclusive, co-ed cheer squads undermines local control, tramples common sense, and sends a chilling message to students that their government views them as political targets rather than children deserving of protection.

This campaign does real harm. It stigmatizes students, invites harassment, and pressures schools to exclude kids simply to avoid federal retaliation.

That is not safeguarding education. That is authoritarian overreach masquerading as compliance.

I reject the idea that the federal government should be policing middle school activities to score culture-war points.

The Department of Education should be defending students’ right to learn, belong, and participate safely in school life, not bullying districts into exclusion and fear.

Hands off our kids. Hands off our schools. And stop using children as collateral damage in a manufactured political crusade.

Ellen Adele Harper's avatar

This is a co-ed squad. That means boys & girls. But no trans. Stop making sense.

jessica frye's avatar

And the beat goes on

Roisin Aoife Brennan's avatar

From the regime famous for it's Dear Leader walking into underage girl's dressing rooms without announcing himself and then saying he love being able to just "Walk in there - to, uh, inspect - because I own the pageant, and there's the girls, some of them in their underwear and some of them naked".

The pedophile-in-chief complaining about non-existent men transitioning just to get into women's bathrooms and locker rooms . . .

Garddamn I wish this regime would collapse and fade into nothingness.

catsongs's avatar

Commented before I saw that you had had the exact same thought 2 hours before me. I wish I could take comfort in our like-mindedness, but I am sure we would both rather the phenomenon had never offered us the opportunity to be in sad agreement.

Beverly Trafton 🏳️‍⚧️'s avatar

In a way this can help us. The Department of Education (and the entire regime) comes away looking like monstrous bigots while the school district acts reasonably, responsibly, and compassionately. Following state law without harming anyone in the process a win-win. The student gets affirmed with the institutional support along with (probably and hopefully) support from her friends and squad members. Spreading the word about this egregious overstep by the administration is up to all of us. LIKE AND SHARE!

Tommy Lamont's avatar

Thank you for this report.

How petty can the administration get? Super petty. But so too can some residents of small town America, such as Newport, Maine. In 2024, voters in Newport, a rural community of about 3000, voted for Trump by a 2-1 margin. My guess is that one or more transphobes in Newport complained to conservative media or officials who brought the matter to the attention of federal officials at DOE. I also bet that most folks in Newport probably don't care enough to make a big deal of the matter and would rather let the school to make the call. The more cruel and intrusive conservatives get, the more the majority of Americans will recognize the danger inherent in such cruelty and intrusiveness, and turn against MAGA. One thing I know for certain is that the hard working, intelligent, and compassionate governor of Maine, a long time ally of the LGBTQ community, will respond to this forcefully and appropriately.

Talia Perkins's avatar

No, you haven't violated any laws. The thing is, you haven't abused children the President wants to see abused.

"I hope you know that this will go down on your permanent record

Oh, yeah? Well, don't get so distressed

Did I happen to mention that I'm impressed?" - Kiss Off, Violent Femmes

Don Jackson's avatar

Thank you for the reporting! I wonder if this cruelty will wake up our "moderate" senator Susan Collins. Doubtful.

catsongs's avatar

(insert bitter laugh-track here)

Stephanie Keeley's avatar

Once again the MAGAT Department of LITTLE to Nonexistent Education has another Hate Filled Rant about the Culture War against our GENITALIA! This Fascist Government hates Educated Americans,Especially Women who have what they don’t…a pair of Balls! But these Cretinous people are not limited to just MAGAT REPUBLICANS, the Corrupt Centrist Democrats are just as culpable as the Oily-Garcs that OWN THEM! DOWN WITH THIS FASCIST GOVERNMENT AND DOWN WITH ALL TYRANTS!!! 😈🔥🖕🏽

catsongs's avatar

Ah, yes, the boys/men in the girls' room bs. Didn't seem to bother the Miss Universe Organization when tangerine perv regularly invaded contestant's dressing rooms to gape at his investments.