Background: Roanoke College swimmers Lily Mullens and Carter Satterfield, and former Virginia Tech swimmer Réka György, are among those asking the VA Board of Health for a regulation ensuring that males can no longer invade girls’ sports or female-only spaces in any public or private school and at the collegiate level.

Thanks to your response to our calls to action, the Virginia Board of Health (VBH) has received more than 2,300 responses at its public comment site. From students, coaches, parents, and concerned citizens, the message was loud and clear: Biological reality matters!

But the battle isn’t over. Now it’s up to VBH members to decide whether to follow through and take action. Here’s how you can help.

Act now—while there’s still time:

Stand behind these courageous Virginia students and female athletes. Take immediate action to protect girls’ privacy and safety:

Your voices could make all the difference in whether girls are permanently protected in Virginia! 

Follow the 3 steps:

Review our top-3 pointers below for personalizing your comments to VBH members, depending on whether you are  a student, parent or concerned citizen. 

  • As a female athlete, I’ve spent years training and sacrificing to compete at a high level. It’s incredibly discouraging and unfair to be told that males who identify as female should be allowed to take our spots on the podium or in the locker room. Or that our bodily safety should be jeopardized by males who are physically stronger and faster than females. Female sports were created for a reason—because biological differences matter. These regulations are necessary to protect the integrity of women’s competition and ensure we are not forced to compromise our safety, privacy, and opportunities just to be “inclusive.” I fully support this petition for rulemaking.

  • I’m a parent of a daughter who plays sports, and I want her to grow up in a state that values her safety and dignity. Women and girls should never be put in a position where they are forced to share private facilities with biological males, lose out on athletic achievements because of an unfair playing field, or worse, have their bodily privacy and safety jeopardized. These proposed regulations would be a common-sense safeguard for our children. Please stand firm and protect the rights, privacy, and athletic opportunities of young women across Virginia.

  • I urge the Virginia Board of Health to approve this petition for rulemaking to limit female sports and spaces to biological women only. This is not about discrimination; it’s about fairness, safety, and truth. Ignoring biological reality in favor of ideology harms women and girls the most. The state has a duty to protect its citizens, especially the most vulnerable, from policies that erase meaningful distinctions between male and female. Please approve this request for rulemaking and help Virginia lead the way in protecting women’s sports and spaces.

Use the points you chose above and email your comment now to VA Board of Health members, using the contact information below. Please also share this action page (familyfoundation.org/protectourgirls) with friends, teammates, and families, especially those with a personal stake in this issue.

The next meeting is Monday, August 18, at 9:00 a.m. at the Perimeter Center, Boardroom 2 – 9960 Mayland Drive, Richmond, VA. We will be there standing alongside female athletes, parents, and advocates—urging the Virginia Board of Health to take decisive action to protect the safety, fairness, and privacy of girls’ sports and locker rooms in our Commonwealth. This is a pivotal moment to ensure women’s athletics remain a place where female athletes can compete on a level playing field and enjoy private spaces free from intrusion. Your presence matters. Let’s show Virginia that girls’ safety and fairness in sports are worth fighting for.

Click to view meeting details here!

Listen to this video and share with as many friends as possible! 

Now is the time to make your voice heard. Send your email today encourage others to do the same by sharing familyfoundation.org/protectourgirls. With your help, we can ensure Virginia remains a place where women are respected, protected, and given a fair shot.