Dear Members of Congress,
Independent Women’s Voice, which fights to enhance people’s freedom, opportunities and well-being, supports the Stop WOKE (“Wrongs to Our Kids’ Educational”) Meals Act (H.R. 8206), introduced by Reps. Glenn Grothman and Diana Harshbarger.
This month marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX, landmark legislation passed in 1972 prohibiting schools from discriminating on the basis of sex. Alarmingly, the Biden administration just issued new guidance redefining “sex” to mean “gender” and “gender identity.” The proposed rules, which are vast and unprecedented in their scope, require educational institutions that receive federal funds to allow biological men into women’s locker rooms and other female-only spaces. Federally-funded schools that do not comply with the new requirements risk having their funding stripped away.
In May of 2022, in anticipation of the Biden administration’s sweeping changes to Title IX, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it will interpret the law “to include discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.” The Stop WOKE Meal Act will prohibit the USDA from misconstruing Title IX’s language in a way that strips federal funding for K–12 school meal programs.
Taking away taxpayer-funded meals from low-income students if their schools do not embrace gender-ideology activism is wrong and unfair. We must take steps to protect our schoolchildren and ensure their interests are not sacrificed in pursuit of a radical political agenda.
We thank Representatives Grothman and Harshbarger for their leadership on this important issue and urge all members of Congress to support this proposed legislation if it comes to the floor for a vote.
Respectfully,
Hadley Heath Manning
Vice President for Policy
Independent Women’s Voice