Federal Court Says Arkansas Can Enforce the SAFE Act

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, August 12, 2025

On Tuesday a three-judge panel from the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision letting Arkansas enforce its 2021 Save Adolescents From Experimentation (SAFE) Act.

Family Council President Jerry Cox released a statement saying, “This is amazing news. The SAFE Act is a good law that protects children from puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and sex-change surgeries. It has been blocked in court for the past four years. Now the State of Arkansas can finally enforce this good law protecting children. That’s something to celebrate.”

Cox called the SAFE Act a common sense measure that protects children. “Over the past four years, public health experts in the U.S., the U.K., Sweden, Finland, and other nations have found that science simply does not support performing these procedures on kids. The SAFE Act is common sense legislation that protects children. That’s why the Arkansas Legislature voted overwhelmingly to pass it in 2021. That’s why more than half the states in America have passed similar laws since then. And that’s why the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a similar law in Tennessee earlier this year. Most people agree it is not right to perform sex-change procedures on kids.”

Cox praised the Arkansas Legislature and the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office for supporting the SAFE Act. “The Arkansas Legislature did the right thing by passing the SAFE Act in 2021, and the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office has worked tirelessly to defend it in court ever since. Arkansans should be proud that we have elected officials who are so deeply committed to protecting children.”

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Lawmakers, Hospitals Move to Protect Children from Sex-Change Procedures

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Policymakers, public health officials, and hospitals continue to take steps to protect children from sex-change procedures.

Media outlets report that last week New Hampshire enacted two bills protecting children from puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and certain sex-change surgeries. To date, most states in America — including Arkansas — have adopted similar protections. In June the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee law protecting children from these procedures, drugs, and hormones.

Hospitals in other states reportedly have stopped performing sex-change procedures and no longer prescribe puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to children thanks to new policies from the Trump Administration.

In Italy, news outlets say policymakers are considering measures to protect children from puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and sex-change surgeries as well.

Over the past five years, it has become clear that the medical “consensus” regarding transgender procedures on children has been largely manufactured by pro-LGBT activists.

Men and women have come forward with chilling testimony about how they were rushed through gender-transitions as children.

Public health experts in the U.S., the U.K., Sweden, Finland, and other nations have found that science simply does not support giving puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to kids.

Last month the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a public inquiry into whether U.S. doctors and clinics may have deceived parents and children about the risks of these procedures, and the U.S. Department of Justice announced it had issued subpoenas to doctors and medical facilities involved in performing sex-change procedures on minors.

In 2021, Arkansas became the first state in the nation to pass a law protecting children from gender transition procedures.

Arkansas’ Save Adolescents From Experimentation (SAFE) Act prohibits doctors from performing sex-change surgeries or giving puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to minors. Unfortunately, the law has been challenged in court—but Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin continues to defend it, and we are confident our federal courts will uphold it as constitutional.

Protecting children from sex-change procedures isn’t just good policy—it’s common sense.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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1,900+ Female Athletes Lost Podium Spots to Men Who Claim to be Women: Concerned Women for America

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Concerned Women for America (CWA) reports 1,941 male athletes who claim to be female have taken first place medals away from women and girls.

CWA is urging athletic associations to adopt policies that protect women’s sports. The group issued a press release on Tuesday, saying:

“For too long, trans-identifying males have displaced, disrupted, and injured women and girls in female sports categories. Our research reveals the shocking truth of the matter – over 1,900 women have come in second place to men who claim to be women. This is outrageously unjust. Women and girls must have sex-protected athletics under Title IX,” said Penny Nance, CEO and President, Concerned Women for America.

“We urge the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the NCAA, and all independent National Governing Bodies in the United States to reverse any discriminatory policies disadvantaging women. CWA also urges these governing bodies to restore lost gold medals to the 1,941 women and girls found in this study, redistribute cash prizes, and correct leaderboards for all who lost their rightful titles and prizes to biological men,” Nance said.

Compiling data from recorded incidents of natal males’  disruption in female events since the mid-1980s, CWA also found that:

  • Trans-identifying male athletes have stolen over $493,173 in prize money from women in professional sports.
  • In California alone, over 521 women and girls have taken silver below a male allowed to compete in the women’s category.
  • Trans-identifying males have competed in more than 10,067 female sport events, amateur and professional. Tens of thousands of women and girls have been displaced and disrupted on their own teams, tracks, fields, and leaderboards.

The National Governing Bodies (NGBs) presiding over the competitions where men defeated women include but are not limited to:

  • USA Cycling*
  • USA Ultimate Frisbee*
  • US Rowing*
  • US Tennis Association*
  • US Archery Team (USAT)*
  • Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA)
  • USA Track and Field (USATF)*
  • Road Runners Club of America Running USA*
  • National Federation of State High School Associations*
  • USA Fencing*
  • USA Swimming*
  • USA Volleyball*
  • US Bowling Conference (USBC)*
  • National Collegiate Athlete Association (NCAA)*
  • California Interscholastic Federation (CIF)
  • National Intercollegiate Running Club Association (NIRCA)
  • Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Athlete Association (PIAA)
  • California Collegiate Athlete Association (CCAA)
  • Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conferences (CIAC)
  • Central Connecticut Conference (CCC)
  • Massachusetts Interscholastic Athlete Association (MIAA)
  • Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA)
  • Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA)
  • Lady’s Professional Golf Association (LPGA)

In 2021 Arkansas passed Act 461 by Sen. Missy Irvin (R — Mountain View) and Rep. Sonia Barker (R — Smackover) preventing male student athletes from competing against girls in women’s athletics at school. This good law protects fairness in women’s sports in Arkansas.

It’s worth point out that public opinion polling shows Americans agree that athletes ought to compete according to their biological sex rather than their gender identity. 

Letting men compete in women’s sports reverses 50 years of advancements for women.

It is essential for educators, coaches, athletes, policymakers, athletic associations, and others to stand up for fairness in women’s sports. That is something Family Council is committed to doing.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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