• There are no medical criteria to determine if a child needs to undergo transition procedures.

• According to the Mayo Clinic “Feminizing hormone therapy” (the process of a male taking female hormones) comes with risks and complications including:
–A blood clot in a deep vein (deep vein thrombosis) or in a lung (pulmonary embolism)
–High triglycerides, a type of fat (lipid) in your blood
–Weight gain
–Infertility
–High potassium (hyperkalemia)
–High blood pressure (hypertension)
–Type 2 diabetes
–Cardiovascular disease
–Excessive prolactin in your blood (hyperprolactinemia)
–Nipple discharge
–Stroke
–Increased risk of breast cancer

• Taking female hormones can cause lasting damage in men. The risk of permanent infertility increases with long-term use of hormones, especially when hormone therapy is initiated before puberty. Even after stopping hormone therapy, testicular function might not recover sufficiently to ensure conception.

• According to the Mayo Clinic “Masculinizing hormone therapy” (the process of a female taking male hormones) comes with risks and complications including:
–Producing too many red blood cells (polycythemia)
–Weight gain
–Acne
–Developing an abnormal level of cholesterol and other lipids, which may increase cardiovascular risk (dyslipidemia)
–High blood pressure (hypertension)
–Type 2 diabetes
–Deep vein thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism (venous thromboembolism)
–Infertility
–A condition where the lining of the vagina becomes drier and thinner (atrophic vaginitis)
–Pelvic pain
–Clitoral discomfort and vaginal atrophy
–Endometrial and other forms of cancer

• Taking male hormones can cause lasting damage in women. The risk of permanent infertility increases with long-term use of hormones, especially when hormone therapy is initiated before puberty. Even after stopping hormone therapy, ovarian and uterine function might not recover well enough to ensure that a woman can become pregnant.

• Testosterone is a Schedule III controlled substance. It has serious health risks as noted above. However, to treat gender dysphoria, it is used by some as a cosmetic procedure rather than something requiring strict medical oversight. Some gender therapists administer the drug based on what the patient is feeling. In terms of a set dose, the only goal most medical professionals have is to keep the testosterone in the normal limit for a man.

• According to the British National Health Service (NHS): “Little is known about the long-term side effects of hormone or puberty blockers in children with gender dysphoria. Although the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) advises this is a physically reversible treatment if stopped, it is not known what the psychological effects may be. It’s also not known whether hormone blockers affect the development of the teenage brain or children’s bones. Side effects may also include hot flushes, fatigue and mood alterations.”

• Lupron, a drug once used in chemical castrations, is a popular puberty blocker. Lupron has caused neurological damage resulting in impaired pituitary function. The pituitary is the major endocrine gland in the brain and is important in controlling growth and development and the functioning of other endocrine glands. The effect on the pituitary was not reversible for 62.5% of patients. While the FDA has approved this drug to halt precocious puberty, it is not approved to halt normal puberty nor is it approved for long-term use. Lupron is now prescribed off-label.

• Puberty blockers are not a neutral intervention. Although some gender therapists present them as a safe alternative to buy time to allow for a child to determine his or her gender identity, halting puberty is unhealthy. Side effects include suppression of normal bone density development, greater risk of osteoporosis, loss of sexual function, interference with brain development and possibly suppressing peak IQ. Additionally, these drugs alienate a child from his or her sex. Further, in some instances after a child stops taking them puberty does not resume even if they wanted it to. One clinical study found that 100% of participants who used puberty blockers ultimately underwent a full transition.

• Binders, a devise used frequently by teenage girls that constrict their breasts tight against the body to give them a more masculine appearance, can cause serious harm. Broken or bruised ribs, punctured or collapsed lungs, shortness of breath, back pain, and deformation of breast tissue can result from wearing these devices.

• In women, top surgery, or a double mastectomy, leads to a permanent loss of breast function and comes with the risks of complication associated with any surgical procedure.

• In women, bottom surgery, either phalloplasty or metoidioplasty, are extremely complex procedures that can result in complications.
–In phalloplasty, doctors take a graft and create a new appendage in the groin area. Blood clots and infections are common. Additionally, the forearms, where most of the grafts are from for this procedure, can also suffer significant damage permanently leaving an individual unable to fully use their arms. Usually, the urethra will be run through the appendage; however, this is not without its own share of hazards, most especially leaks both internally and externally.
–Metoidioplasty involves the clitoris to be shaped to look like a penis, though it has no functionality other than the urethra can be run through it allowing for urination.

For a glossary of terms, click here.

—According to the updated National Sex Education Standards, by the end of the 2nd grade, students will be expected to define “gender, gender identity, and gender-role stereotypes.” Students will also be expected to “discuss the range of ways people express their gender and how gender-role stereotypes may limit behavior.”

—By the end of the 5th grade, students will be expected to “distinguish between sex assigned at birth and gender identity and explain how they may or may not differ.” They will also learn about the “differences between cisgender, transgender, gender nonbinary, gender expansive and gender identity.”

—“By the end of the 5th grade, students should be able to describe the role hormones play in the physical, social, cognitive, and emotional changes during adolescence and the potential role of hormone blockers on young people who identify as transgender.”

—Per the curriculum, 5th graders would be expected to “explain that gender expression and gender identity exist along a spectrum” and “describe gender role stereotypes and their potential impact on self and others.” 5th graders will also be required to “differentiate between sexual orientation and gender identity.”

—8th graders will be expected to “access medically accurate sources of information about gender, gender identity, and gender expression” and “demonstrate ways to communicate respectfully with and about people of all gender identities.”

—“By the end of the 10th grade, students should be able to explain the human reproductive and sexual response systems, including differentiating between internal and external body parts and their functions, and that there are naturally occurring variations in human bodies (e.g., intersex).”

—“By the end of the 10th grade, students should be able to differentiate between sex assigned at birth, gender identity, and gender expression”

—“By the end of the 12th grade, students should be able to describe the human sexual response cycle, including the role of hormones and pleasure,” and by the time they graduate from high school, they will be instructed to become “advocates” for “people of all sexual orientations.”

—In 2019, the policy-making arm of the California Teachers Association (CTA) approved a proposal allowing trans-identifying minor students to leave campus during the school day to obtain gender hormone treatments without parental consent. In 2020, CTA moved to create “school-based health care clinics” that would provide students with access to confidential hormone treatments so their parents will not find out.

—New York, New Jersey, Colorado, Illinois, Northern Virginia and Oregon public schools have adopted radical approaches to gender in their curricula and policies.

—Five more states – Delaware, Iowa, Massachusetts, South Carolina and Wisconsin – require that sex education include information on sexual orientation and gender identity that does not affirm or discriminate against LGBTQ students.”

—New Jersey, Colorado, Illinois and California legally mandate that public schools teach LGBTQ history.

—Educators like Dr. Judy Chiasson, the program coordinator for human resources, diversity and equity for the Los Angeles United School District, view parents as the problem. They see themselves as the vanguard of the revolution because they view how parents teach the subjects of sexual orientation and gender identity as inferior and antiquated. Further, these educators find teaching about LGBTQ issues difficult when parents complain. Objecting parents are the real problem not the materials that are being taught. Dr. Chiasson argues that the role of the school is not just teaching, but also to provide a catalyst for social change and “in some places, lead the community.”

—Historical figures like St. Joan of Arc, Catherine the Great, George Eliot, George Sand and Sally Ride are frequently presented to children as “gender nonconforming” role models.

—In schools across America, kindergarteners are taught that biological sex and gender very often diverge. Frequently lessons include the “Genderbread Person,” a tool in gender identity indoctrination featuring a gingerbread cookie outline of a person with arrows locating the seat of gender “identity” at the brain, the seat of “attraction” at the heart, “gender expression” as the whole body, and for biological sex an arrow points to where the genitals would be.

—Kindergarten teachers read from I Am Jazz, a story marketed for children about Jazz Jennings’ transition from a boy to a girl. Additionally, these young students are introduced to the concept they might have a girl brain in a boy body or vice versa.

—The ACLU, Planned Parenthood, and GLSEN (formerly the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) provide curricula to schools, and their members routinely lecture to students on sexual orientation and gender. Additionally, they provide teacher training and videos and coach Gay-Straight Alliance clubs.

—California Board of Education provides a book intended for kindergarten teachers to read to their class called Who Are You? The Kids Guide to Gender Identity. The book states. “These are just a few words people use: trans, genderqueer, non-binary, gender fluid, transgender, gender neutral, agender, neutrois, bigender, third gender, two-spirit….” The book concludes by telling kindergarteners “You are who you say you are because YOU know best.”

—Lindsay Amer, an educator who self-identifies as queer, regularly visits schools to play the ukulele and sing a song Amer wrote for preschoolers. Some lyrics to the song are “It’s OK to be gay. We are different in so many ways. Doesn’t matter if you’re a boy, girl or somewhere in between, we are all part of one big family. Gay means ‘happy.'”

—Schools in Transition from the Human Rights Campaign has become one of the most widely used policy guides for dealing with transgender students in public schools.

—Positive Prevention PLUS is among the most highly respected health curricula that provides instruction on gender-identity. One activity listed in the curriculum instructs teachers to ask their students to imagine they are a different gender. The instructions ask the teacher to compel the students to participate and encourage students to think of what would be fun about being a different gender.

—Schools will frequently facilitate social transitions (refer to the student by a new name, use preferred pronouns on official documents, instruct all students to refer to the student by their new gender identity, etc.) without informing the students’ parents. The schools will even go so far as to send duplicates of official documents home that use the child’s real name and pronouns to keep parents in the dark. C. Scott Miller, a fifth grade teacher and Equality California liaison to CTA, explains these practices by saying that “it is not the schools obligation to call up and ‘out’ a child to a parent because you’re not sending that kid home to the gay pride parade. You’re sending them home to somewhere that’s going to be very unsafe and a lot of misinformation, a lot of anger and it’s not just going to be a safe place for that kid.”

—According to the National Education Association, “Not having their gender identity respected and affirmed in their daily lives will cause [trans-identified students] significant psychological distress.”

For a glossary of terms, click here.

Meghan Riley Lewis—On December 27, 2023, Lewis was killed by Brian Delen in Bel Air, Maryland. Delen was working as a food delivery driver and asked Lewis “Are you waiting for a food delivery, sir,” according to the charging documents. Lewis became enraged by Delen’s “misgendering” and began yelling at Delen. Delen drove away, but Lewis ran after the car. Delen exited the vehicle and a physical altercation between the two began. Delen then shot Lewis in the abdomen. According to Delen’s public defender, Delen has a “strong self-defense argument.” Delen allegedly called 911 after shooting Lewis and rendered aid using his own first aid kit.

Savannah Ryan Williams—On November 29, 2023, Williams was killed by Damarean Kaylon Bible in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Bible told police that he walked past Williams at a bus shelter when Williams asked Bible if he wanted sex. The pair then walked to a nearby courtyard where Bible shot Williams. Bible told police he felt suspicious during the sex act and continued to feel that way after it was done, so Bible shot Williams. In Bible’s first police phone call to his parents, Bible told them he “just murdered someone,” and that he “knew he wasn’t God but he had to do it.” Bible was also charged with first-degree aggravated robbery in an unrelated attack at the Nicollet Mall on November 9, 2023, allegedly forcing the victim to empty his pockets at gunpoint.

Jean Butchart— On August 4, 2023, Butchart was killed by Matthew Torrey Tiggs, Jr., in the Van Buren Estates mobile home park in Wayne County, Michigan. In the weeks leading up to Butchart’s murder, Tiggs had committed numerous crimes in the trailer park where Butchart lived. In seperate criminal acts in the same trailer park, Tiggs shot a 47-year-old man and assaulted a 45-year-old man.

Kejuan Richardson—On November 14, 2023, Richardson was killed by Jorenzo Phillips in Toledo, Ohio. Richardson and Amiri Reid (see next) were found shot and killed in a vehicle that had run off the road. The vehicle had a window shot out suggesting that Phillips had been in the car. Richardson had been shot in the head and neck. Police issued a warrant for Phillips’ arrest, but before police could take him into custody, Phillips had committed suicide.

Amiri Reid— On November 14, 2023, Reid was killed by Jorenzo Phillips in Toledo, Ohio. Reid and Kejuan Richardson (see previous) were found shot and killed in a vehicle that had run off the road. The vehicle had a window shot out suggesting that Phillips had been in the car. Reid had been shot twice in the head. Police issued a warrant for Phillips’ arrest, but before police could take him into custody, Phillips had committed suicide.

LaKendra Andrews—On April 29, 2023, Andrews was fatally shot by an unknown assailant in East Dallas, Texas. This remains an open investigation.

**London Price—On October 23, 2023, Price was killed by Anthony Quinn Peyton. Prior to the murder, Price and Peyton had been in a troubled relationship, according to Price’s family. This is an example of intimate partner violence.

Lisa Love—On October 17, 2023, Love (also known as Jamol Turman) was shot and killed on the South Side of Chicago while walking home in the early morning hours. Police have not been able to identify the murderer or potential motive as the case remains open.

Dominic Dupree—On October 13, 2023, Dupree was found shot and killed in a vehicle on the South Side of Chicago. This remains an open investigation.

A’nee Johnson—On October 14, 2023, Johnson (who also goes by A’nee Roberson) was assaulted at approximately 4:20 A.M. by an unknown individual in the U Street corridor of Washington, DC. U Street is a popular night spot and multiple gay bars are located not far from where Johnson was attacked. The assailant then threw Johnson into the road where Johnson was struck by a vehicle. The driver of the vehicle was unrelated to the assault and stayed at the scene. This remains an open investigation.

**Sherlyn Marjorie—On September 17, 2023, Marjorie was killed by Jose Mendoza-Espinoza in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Marjorie and Mendoza-Espinoza were romantically involved. According to court records, Mendoza-Espinoza told detectives that he killed Marjorie after the victim had attempted to extort him for money and tell his wife about the affair. This is an example of intimate partner violence.

Chyna Long—On October 8, 2023, Long (also known as JaQuez Long) was shot multiple times by Antonio Currin in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Currin has been charged with reckless homicide and possession of a firearm by a felon. The charging documents did not indicate this was a targeted killing. Currin had previously been convicted for a string of armed robberies in 2016.

**Luis Ángel Díaz Castro—On August 12, 2023, Castro was murdered by Domingo Rafael Aquino Ubri in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Castro and Ubri had been romantically involved, and Ubri had just been released from prison on August 7 on domestic violence charges. Castro was the victim in Ubri’s previous crime. This is an example of intimate partner violence.

YOKO—On September 19, 2023, YOKO was killed in a hit-and-run by Bryan C. Mitchell, Sr. The SUV involved in the collision was reported as stolen. Mitchell faces one charge of hit-and-run driving resulting in death and possession of a stolen vehicle.

Thomas ‘Tom-Tom’ Robertson—On August 18, 2023, Robertson and another victim were shot by an unknown assailant in Calumet City, Illinois. Calumet is a suburb of Chicago. Robertson does not appear to have been the target of the shooting. However, the case remains unsolved.

DéVonnie J’Rae Johnson—On August 7, 2023, Johnson was killed by a security guard at a grocery store in Los Angeles, California. Johnson, who was homeless at the time, assaulted the security guard with a fire extinguisher and a screwdriver inside the store.

**Camdyn Rider—On July 21, 2023, Rider was killed by Riley John Groover in Winter Haven, Florida. Rider and Groover were engaged, and the couple had arguments in the past some resulting in physical violence. After shooting Rider, Groover then committed suicide. This is an example of intimate partner violence.

Jacob Williamson—On June 30, 2023, Williamson was killed by Joshua Newton and Victoria Smith. Williamson had previously been chatting online with Newton. Authorities say there is not enough evidence to charge as a hate crime.

Chanell Perez Ortiz—On June 25, 2023, Ortiz was killed by an unknown assailant and dumped along a highway in Carolina, Puerto Rico. This remains an open investigation.

Ashia Davis—On June 2, 2023, Davis was found shot to death by an unknown assailant in a motel room in Highland Park, Michigan. Highland Park is a suburb of Detroit. Detectives have not yet determined a motive for this killing.

Banko Brown—On April 27, 2023, Brown was shot and killed while robbing a Walgreens by Michael Earl-Wayne, the store’s private security guard. Brown threatened to stab Earl-Wayne when he shot Brown. Brown had a criminal record for theft prior to this incident.

Koko Da Doll—On April 18, 2023, Doll (also known as Rasheda Williams) was allegedly shot by Jermarus Jernigan in Atlanta, Georgia. According to the arrest warrant, Doll was seen in a verbal confrontation with a man fitting Jernigan’s description.

Ashley Burton—On April 11, 2023, Burton was shot by Darius Mills in Atlanta, Georgia. According to charging documents, Mills attempted to steal Burton’s cell phone leading to a confrontation. Mills has a long criminal record. Authorities do not believe this was a hate crime.

Ta’Siyah Woodland—On March 24, 2023, Woodland was shot by Darryl Carlton Parks, Jr. in Mechanicsville, Maryland. Authorities said there was “some type of confrontation” between the two in a local bar prior to the shooting, but they do not believe Woodland’s gender identity was a factor in the crime.

Tortuguita—On January 18, 2023, Tortuguita (Also known as Manuel Teran) was shot and killed by Georgia State Police. Tortuguita had been protesting the creation of a new training facility for the Atlanta police department. When the state troopers were sent in to clear out the protestors, Tortuguita began shooting at the troopers. The state troopers returned fire and killed Tortuguita.

Cashay Ashanti Henderson—On February 26, 2023, Henderson was killed by Cordell M. Howze in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. According to police, Howze accompanied Henderson back to Henderson’s apartment. Howze then shot and killed Henderson. In an effort to cover up the crime, Howze tried to set the apartment on fire. Prosecutors are pursuing the case as a hate crime because Howze told a friend, “I caught the body of a disgusting [expletive] tran.” However, that same friend also said Howze was acting deranged, and the judge in the case has order Howze to take a mental competency test. Howze also has a criminal record prior to the murder of Henderson.

**Maria Jose Rivera Rivera—On January 21, 2023, Rivera was killed in a murder-gsuicide by Rivera’s partner. This is an example of intimate partner violence.

Zachee Imanitwitaho—On February 3, 2023, Imanitwitaho was killed by Edilberto Lores Reyes in Louisville, Kentucky. Reyes and Imanitwitaho were co-workers. Reyes shot Imanitwitaho three times outside of work and then turned himself into police. No motive has been given for the crime, and Reyes has not been charged with a hate-crime. Reyes’ attorneys filed a pre-trial motion to have his mental competency evaluated.

Unique Banks—On January 23, 2023, Banks was killed in a mass shooting during a home invasion in Chicago. Banks’ mother was also killed in the attack. Banks’ boyfriend and two other transgenders survived the attack. Although police have described the attack as targeted, they did not give a motive for the attack, and the investigation remains open.

KC Johnson—On January 14, 2023, Johnson was killed by William Haven Hicks in Wilmington, North Carolina. Johnson had met Hicks on a dating app. When they met for their hook up, Hicks restrained Johnson without consent. Hicks also stole Johnsons purse before killing Johnson with a hammer and dumping Johnson’s body in Georgia. Hicks has been charged with first-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and kidnapping.

Jasmine “Star” Mack—On January 7, 2023, Mack was stabbed to death in Washington, D.C. The identity of Mack’s attacker remains unknown, and police are not investigating the murder as a hate crime.

Amber Minor—On December 24, 2023, Minor was shot by an unknown assailant in Raytown, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City. This remains an open investigation.

Bill Donohue

It is commonplace for LGBTQ activists, as well as many in the media, education and government, to complain about the high rates of violence that transgender persons experience. But with the exception of the Catholic League, virtually no one is telling the truth about this condition: the majority of the violence committed against transgender persons is committed by other transgender persons.

A recent tragic incident puts this in perspective. A 24-year-old woman who falsely considered herself to be a man, Sam Norquist, was tortured to death in upstate New York. The police decided it was not a hate crime because all five people charged with the crime are themselves transgender persons.

This is reason enough to do away with the concept of “hate crimes.” It is purely subjective. More important, we need to address the crisis in transgender violence. It is not frat boys who are beating up transgender individuals—they are doing it to themselves.

Research on this subject that we have previously cited is consistent with more recent research.

In May 2023, the Journal of Family Violence published an article co-authored by nine researchers, “Intimate Partner Violence and Mental Health Among Transgender and Gender Diverse Young Adults.” They found that the rates of psychological, physical and sexual abuse among transgender persons committed by those just like themselves is startling. They studied young adults in New York City and concluded that those who consider themselves “gender diverse,” meaning they do not consider themselves to be either male or female, experience the highest rates of violence.

A study of 3,560 transgender and gender diverse California adults was published in June 2024 by the Journal of the American Medical Association. It found that they were “significantly more likely to face physical, sexual, and intimate partner violence in the past year relative to cisgender respondents [those who accept their sexual status].” This was especially true of transgender men, meaning women who falsely identify as male.

It was reported in July 2024 that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 44 percent of lesbians and 61 percent of bisexual women experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking committed by those in their same community. Also in July 2024, The Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law reported that “between 30% and 50% of transgender people” are victims of violence committed by other transgender persons.

In December 2024, the Radiological Society of America published a study of 263 men who consider themselves to be female (transgender women) and compared them to women who accept their nature-given sex. It found that transgender women had eight times as many head injuries, 36 times as many facial injuries and five times as many chest injuries. Forty-two percent of the men who think they are female were violently attacked by other transgender women.

In 2025, the Human Rights Campaign, the large LGBTQ organization, updated data from 2017 and found that “More than half, or 54 percent of transgender and non-binary individuals have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetimes.” The American Journal of Public Health also published data showing how violence marks this community.

There needs to be a national discussion of this issue. We need to get to the bottom of it and find out why transgender persons, and those who think they are neither male nor female, are so violent, and why they take it out on those in their own community. We also need to stop blaming normal men and women for their violence.

Bill Donohue

Unlike most sociologists, I am not a man of the Left. Moreover, I have little respect for most of what passes as sociology today. But Durkheim was still right—it is the queen of the social sciences (properly executed).

We just lost one of the titans of American sociology, Christopher Jencks. The Harvard sociologist was not a conservative; indeed, he was a socialist and an egalitarian. But what made him special is that he was an honest scholar, one who drew his conclusions based on the data. Sadly, that makes him unique.

Jencks died on February 8 of complications traced to Alzheimer’s disease. His 1972 book, Inequality: A Reassessment of the Effect of Family and Schooling in America, broke new ground: he challenged the conventional wisdom on the effects that nature and nurture have on generating inequality.

Jencks, found, as did sociologist James S. Coleman before him, that what happens in the home is more important in affecting academic achievement than what happens in the school. This is not what an egalitarian wants to hear: it showed that public policy could only do so much to decrease inequality. But he did not allow his ideological predilections to conquer.

He studied people with identical IQs who were raised in similar families with nearly identical educational and social backgrounds. He found that some did well economically and others did not. Taking into consideration both hereditary and social factors, he could explain roughly one-quarter of the reasons why some were “winners” and others were “losers.” So what mattered most? Luck. This residual category—it accounts for 75 percent of all the variables—was a matter of timing, chance, and other anomalies. He called it luck.

It is important to note that Jencks never suggested that luck was more important than virtue and a strong work ethic. His point was that there is as much inequality within families as there is in society.

This should make sense to everyone. The typical family is one where some siblings do well and others do not. Yet they come from the same parents and are raised in the same household. In other words, nature and nurture are similar yet the outcomes are quite different. Being at the right place at the right time, making important connections, maturing at a late age—there are all kinds of reasons why some family members excel and others do not.

If luck accounts for the lion’s share of what makes for success, there is little that public policy can do to ameliorate inequality. This is not a plea to do nothing: it is simply a frank admission of the limits of education and social engineering.

What Jencks found needs to be heeded by today’s social scientists, educators, administrators and government officials. Too often they think they can treat human beings as if they were silly putty—shaping and reshaping our milieu to yield equality. Not only does this have little effect, it typically tramples on our dignity and freedom.

Christians understand that humans are not toys to be played with by the ruling class. Jencks found good social science reasons not to even try.

Bill Donohue

Economists often note that the stock market occasionally goes into spasms, or sudden downturns that gets everyone nervous. But, they caution, such changes are often necessary: they amount to a market correction. Cultures change as well: wild swings of the pendulum typically abet a strong reaction.

We are now witnessing a cultural correction. But it is folly to think that all of those responsible for our cultural rot have gotten the memo. In other words, the Trump effect is real, but it would be foolish to overestimate the cultural correction.

It is gratifying to learn that those responsible for woke cultural ideas are on the defensive. DEI is now being panned in places few would have thought possible a year or two ago. Critical race theory is losing support, and elites are no longer lapping up to Black Lives Matter, a thoroughly discredited flash-in-the-pan entity. Compassion for those who entered the country illegally is now shifting to compassion for the victims of migrant criminal behavior. Those who succumbed to pressure from the Biden administration and engaged in censorship now regret doing so.

A New York Times/Ipsos poll released in February found that when Americans are asked what the Democrats stand for, most of them listed abortion, LGBTQ issues and climate change. The survey also found that most people are concerned about bread and butter issues and migrants crashing our border, not the ones Democrats are excited about. In other words, the Dems are seriously out of touch with most Americans. Look for some to change their ways.

Are these changes genuine? Some are, but many are not. No matter, even unprincipled shifts that move the right way are worthy of some applause.

While it is true that many members of the ruling class—the senior decision-makers in government, corporations, the media, education, the entertainment industry, and the like—are rethinking their political preferences, many others are not. They are lying in wait. It would be more accurate to say that some elites are in retreat than it would be to conclude that they have turned over a new leaf.

The New York Times recently slung arrows at Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for saying he is putting an end to censorial Facebook policies. The esteemed “newspaper of record” said his company suffers from “a fundamental hollowness at its core,” and went on to berate him for caving into Trump’s influence. The Times was not altogether wrong. It does suggest a less than principled stance, so there is an element of hollowness to Zuckerberg’s moral compass. But at least he is not tone deaf.

Can Trump change the culture? To some extent he already has. He played a major role in putting the final nails in the DEI coffin (diversity, equity and inclusion). He has also turned the entire transgender industry upside down, putting an end to the federal role in what is surely the greatest child abuse scandal in American history. Mutilating genitals, chemical castration, puberty blockers—this is a shameful chapter in the history of the medical profession.

Trump has even scored overseas, beckoning Hamas to release the hostages. No sooner had he slapped Mexico with tariffs when our southern neighbor pledged to send 10,000 troops to seal our border. This is great news, but expectations of a glacial shift in the culture are wrongheaded.

It is true that culture affects every aspect of society, but it is also true that other sectors, such as the political and economic, affect the cultural landscape. Trump was elected in large part because the American people were fed up with excess: excessive inflation; excessive numbers of migrants crashing our border; excessive rights given to the accused and the convicted; excessive deference to the medical profession (e.g., Covid policies and transgenderism).

Trump can reverse some of these conditions, but the forces of resistance must not be discounted.

Most of those who work in higher education will do all they can to subvert Trump’s agenda. The teachers unions who govern elementary and secondary education are not going to change their stripes. Neither will those who work in Hollywood. Many in Wall Street are not on his side—they gave lavishly to Harris. The mainstream media is almost as corrupt today as it was yesterday. Left-wing activist organizations will double down. A new survey found that 42 percent of federal government managers in Washington, D.C. intend to work against the Trump administration. And disdain for our Judeo-Christian heritage is deeply embedded in elite and radical quarters.

To be sure, there will be progress, and that is because of the pressure being exerted from the bottom up. It was the average Joe who voted for Trump, not the ruling class.

It behooves those of us who want to push the pendulum back to a state of normalcy to be vigilant, keeping a close eye on those who say they are turning over a new leaf. As for those who won’t budge an inch, they need to be outed and defeated. We plan to do our part.

Bill Donohue

The state of Washington is considering a House and Senate bill that would bust the seal of the confessional, without doing anything to check the sexual abuse of minors.

To read my letter, click here.

Bill Donohue

President Donald Trump announced today that he is forming a new Presidential Commission on Religious Liberty. To accomplish this goal, he appointed Attorney General Pam Bondi to chair a task force to “eradicate anti-Christian bias.”

“The mission of this task force will be to immediately halt all forms of anti-Christian targeting and discrimination within the federal government,” Trump said. He specifically cited the Department of Justice, the FBI and the IRS, but he also said the probe will extend to other agencies.

More than any other organization in the nation, the Catholic League has documented anti-Christian prejudice and discrimination. To cite one example, we have a very detailed list of abuses that took place under the Biden administration. We will be happy to share our work with Attorney General Pam Bondi.

The scourge of Christian bashing, which Catholics, in particular, have had to endure is astounding. While some Republicans have contributed to this plague, the overwhelming attacks on Christians have come from members of the Democratic Party. We have the evidence and we will make sure the Trump administration has it as well.

Bill Donohue

Pete Buttigieg, the former Secretary of Transportation, is known in LGBTQ circles as the self-described “Pronoun Warrior.” But now the homosexual politician has removed the “He/Him” pronouns from his social media account. This has gravely upset those who still live in the world of “They/Them/Theirs.” They have every right to be angry. What he has done is traitorous.

What broke? Buttigieg wants to be either the next governor or senator of Michigan. He is a native of Indiana but there is no future for the failed mayor of South Bend there, so he laid anchor in Traverse City, Michigan in 2022. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is term limited, and cannot run again in 2026. Senator Gary Peters has said he will not run again in 2026. So Buttigieg sees a few openings.

He could, of course, run for office by not abandoning his “Pronoun Warrior” reputation. But he is well aware that millions of Americans are turned off by this stunt. He also knows that Trump has tapped into this angst with great effect, constantly reminding voters that the Democrats are the “They/Them/Theirs” Party.

A recent New York Times/Ipsos poll provides further evidence that transgender politics is running out of steam. When respondents were asked what issues matter most to them, they said immigration, the economy and healthcare. When asked what matters most to Democrats, they answered abortion, LGBTQ issues and climate change. In other words, the Democrats are wildly out of touch with the average American.

Buttigieg knows this which is why he is downplaying his radical LGBTQ stance. But he can’t run from the past. For example, he still insists he is married to a man. That, however, is a legal fiction: his “marriage” may be recognized by the positive law, but it is not recognized by the natural law. To wit: a man can have a wife but he is denied by nature, and nature’s God, from having a husband. Similarly, two men cannot have a baby, though they may acquire a baby born as a result of a normal heterosexual union.

Just three years ago, CNN host Fareed Zakaria was blasted by left-wing pundits and activists for saying the Democratic Party is too obsessed with “pronouns.” The year before, Chasten Buttigieg, who still insists he is married to the former “Pronoun Warrior,” got ripping mad at those who refuse to respect the fabricated pronouns favored by the LGBTQ crowd. He went so far as to say that for these people, using the “wrong” pronouns can do great damage.

LGBTQ activists concur. The website gaythrive says “Misgendering someone (using incorrect pronouns) can cause distress and perpetuate feelings of exclusion.” It also says that “disrespecting someone’s pronouns can have profound emotional impacts.”

This raises the question: Now that Pete Buttigieg is running away from his “Pronoun Warrior” legacy, will he be so insensitive as to disrespect those who prefer to be identified as “They/Them/Theirs”? What about those who go by “Ze/Zir/Zirs,” or “Xe/Xem/Xir”? Both sets of pronouns are liked by those who don’t identify as either male or female. We also need to hear from his partner Chasten about this.

There is a sizable Muslim population in Michigan, and they are not exactly big fans of this insanity. Good luck trying to win their vote. Unlike many Christians, Muslims are not inclined to normalize abnormalities.

Bill Donohue

In violation of a court order, someone leaked some 300 email exchanges between the New Orleans Saints and the Archdiocese of New Orleans that show how the football team provided public relations advice to the archdiocese on cases of priestly sexual abuse. The emails were given to the Associated Press, the New York Times and the Guardian; other media outlets now have them as well.

This is a story that is largely contrived. No charges of illegal behavior have been made by anyone against any party to this story. Moreover, it is hardly breaking news that elites in one sector of society offer advice to elites in another sector of society. So what gives?

Mark Florio of NBC Sports aptly notes that “it appears that the violation [of the court order] was conducted to create maximum embarrassment for the Saints. Strategically, it’s smart. The Saints are hosting the Super Bowl on Sunday. The Monday morning of Super Bowl week traditionally becomes a perfect spot to drop a nugget that will get attention, since it’s usually slow. Until, of course, the [NFL] Commissioner commences his annual Super Bowl press conference.”

Commissioner Roger Goodell has already downplayed this “story.”

It is well known in New Orleans that its owner, Gayle Benson, is a devout Catholic who is on good terms with New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond. Indeed, it was Aymond who introduced Benson to her husband; he has since passed away. So it is to be expected that friends would do what friends do, and offer advice on how to handle a problem.

What prompted the email exchange was a news story in 2018 about a deacon and schoolteacher who had been accused of sexual abuse and was removed from ministry in 1988, yet was still involved at a New Orleans church. When Aymond found out he said he was “utterly surprised and embarrassed.” It was then that Greg Bensel offered to provide “crisis communications” to the archdiocese; he is the Saints senior vice president of communications. Subsequently, a 2020 lawsuit revealed that the football team offered public relations advice to the archdiocese.

Most of the accusations are about offenses that took place decades ago. We know from the most authoritative sources that the overwhelming number of cases took place between the mid-1960s and the mid-1980s, and that the offenders are either dead or have been kicked out of the priesthood. There are almost no cases of abuse taking place today, whether it be in New Orleans or anywhere else.

It should also be noted that the Associated Press is wrong to report that the offending priests were pedophiles. They were not. Over 8-in-10 were homosexuals, men who had sex with postpubescent males. Only 3.8 percent were pedophiles. The data from researchers at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice are conclusive.

The one outstanding question in this instance is whether some names of the accused that were released by the Archdiocese of New Orleans in 2018 were removed from the list. The New York Times says “it is not clear if names were actually removed from the list.” James Gulotta, a lawyer for the Saints, says no Saints employee was involved in creating the list.

The big media have no business feeling emboldened about this story. Their record of covering up sexual abuse crimes has been well detailed (see my book, The Truth about Clergy Sexual Abuse: Clarifying the Facts and the Causes). Take the New York Times.

In 2017, when four female journalists accused Times reporter Glenn Thrush of sexual misconduct, there was no independent investigation; the probe was done in-house. Dean Baquet, the executive editor of the paper, decided his behavior did not deserve termination. Instead, Thrush was allowed to undergo counseling. He still writes for the Times.

Yet when the Catholic Church does not act with dispatch, the editorial board slams them.

The same year that accusations were made against Thrush, three women accused Michael Oreskes of sexual harassment. Two of the alleged incidents occurred in the 1990s, when Oreskes was the Washington, D.C. bureau chief. At the time, Jill Abramson, who would later become the executive editor for the Times, was deputy to Oreskes. She admitted that she knew of his alleged offenses but did nothing to stop them.

Wouldn’t it be interesting if the mainstream media did a story on how deeply involved local and state public officials are in working with public school officials in handling cases of sexual abuse in the schools? It is well known that the teachers unions generously grease the Democrats.

So if the “story” on the Saints and the New Orleans archdiocese merited the front page in the New York Times, below the fold, a story of this kind surely deserves an above the fold spot, if not a spread.

We don’t have to wait and see—it will never happen.