This month, the University of Pennsylvania, the Ivy League school that sparked national outrage by allowing a biological male, “Lia” Thomas, to dominate women’s collegiate swimming, reversed course. In a remarkable settlement with the Trump administration, UPenn agreed to comply with Title IX, stop prioritizing transgender ideology over women’s rights, and issue personal apologies to the female athletes whose awards and opportunities were stolen. This victory for women’s sports did not happen in a vacuum. Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump signed two executive orders: “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government” and “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.” These directives made clear that under federal law, “sex” refers to biological reality—male and female—not subjective gender identity. The second order specifically declared that it is the policy of the United States to oppose male participation in women’s sports, and instructed the Department of Education, in coordination with the Attorney General, to enforce this standard through Title IX. Just one day after issuing that order, the Trump administration launched a formal Title IX investigation into UPenn for its decision to allow Lia Thomas, a male athlete, to compete in women’s swimming. That investigation
On July 7, 2025, the IRS announced a settlement in the case National Religious Broadcasters et al. v. Long et al., agreeing that it would no longer prohibit churches from engaging in electoral politics. In response, and in collaboration with other family policy councils, we’ve put together this blog post to help guide you and your church leadership in understanding what this means—and how to navigate this shift with wisdom and integrity. Can I actually speak about candidates from the pulpit? Yes. If you’ve ever wondered that, you’re not alone. For decades, many pastors have been led to believe that mentioning political issues, elections, candidates, or public policy from the pulpit could jeopardize their church’s tax-exempt status. But that fear—based on a misunderstanding of the Johnson Amendment—was always unfounded. And now, the IRS has finally said so out loud. This pertains to school board, local, state, and federal elections. What exactly did the IRS say? In a legal filing on July 7, 2025, the IRS acknowledged that churches and houses of worship may support or approve political candidates to their congregations without violating the Johnson Amendment. They described these as “a family discussion concerning candidates.” In other words, when a pastor speaks to his
This year, a bill was introduced in Maryland that would have decriminalized placing condoms in vending machines inside school buildings, including kindergarten classrooms. Most Marylanders never heard about it. That’s exactly the problem. As Delegate Brian Chisholm shared in a recent webinar hosted by Maryland Family Institute and Jonathan Alexandre, bills like this are often quietly advanced through the legislative process, with the hope that no one will notice. But when people are informed, things change. “They thrive in darkness down there.” Delegate Brian Chisholm Tweet What You Missed in Annapolis The webinar offered a behind-the-scenes look at Maryland’s most controversial legislation this year. It wasn’t just a recap of what happened. It was a call to action. One of the most eye-opening examples was House Bill 380, misleadingly titled the “Birth Control Access Act.” This bill would have decriminalized the placement of condoms and other contraceptives in vending machines located in any school building, including those serving young children. After public outrage spread through local media and social platforms, the Senate refused to even allow the bill title to be fully read aloud. It was quietly withdrawn—but only because people got involved. Another key issue was House Bill 403,
