Valerie Richardson
Articles by Valerie Richardson
OpenAI does about-face, extends discounts to religious groups after lawsuit
OpenAI will no longer deny its nonprofit discount to religious organizations under a settlement reached with the Christian ministry Holy Sexuality. Published July 16, 2025
Florida cracks down on transgender athletes in women’s masters’ swimming
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Tuesday called on U.S. Masters Swimming to ban male-born athletes from the women's field, saying that the organization's recent revisions fall short of complying with state law. Published July 15, 2025
Jewish groups call on National Education Association to reject vote to boycott ADL materials
Jewish organizations are pushing back after the nation's largest teachers' union voted to cut ties with the Anti-Defamation League. Published July 15, 2025
Democratic-led states sue to force Trump administration to unfreeze $7 billion in education funding
Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia sued Monday to restore nearly $7 billion in education funding paused by the Department of Education, accusing the Trump administration of thwarting the will of Congress and causing "chaos" in state educational programs. Published July 14, 2025
Trump administration intensifies crackdown on ‘gender-affirming care’
The Trump administration has ramped up its battle against "gender-affirming care" for minors, sending subpoenas to providers and opening an investigation into whether the industry is engaged in deceptive trade practices. Published July 10, 2025
‘Superwoke’? Director of ‘Superman’ draws immigration parallels to Krypton-born Man of Steel
Red flags are flying around the latest "Superman" remake after the creator of the DC Studios film described the action hero from the planet Krypton as an immigrant. Published July 9, 2025
Trump administration sues California to bar biological males from girls’ sports
The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division filed a lawsuit Wednesday accusing California of engaging in illegal sex discrimination and endangering female athletes by letting biological males compete against them in girls' scholastic sports. Published July 9, 2025
NEA delegates vote to cut ties with Anti-Defamation League
The National Education Association has voted to break with the Anti-Defamation League, seeking to end a decades-long partnership on fighting antisemitism while offering more evidence that defenders of Israel may no longer have a home on the progressive left. Published July 8, 2025
California spurns Trump administration’s demand to ban transgender athletes from girls’ sports
The University of Pennsylvania may have bowed to the Trump administration on the issue of transgender athletes in female sports, but not the state of California. Published July 7, 2025
Planned Parenthood wins injunction that blocks halt to Medicaid funding
Planned Parenthood sued Monday to stop the Trump administration from blocking its Medicaid funding under the budget reconciliation act. Published July 7, 2025
Washington woman settles lawsuit over transgender staffer in YMCA women’s locker room
An elderly woman in Washington state who was barred from the YMCA pool for speaking out against a male in the women's locker room has settled her lawsuit for $65,000 in what she described as a "victory for common sense." Published July 1, 2025
‘He needs to be deported’: Tennessee congressman calls for DOJ probe into Mamdani’s naturalization
Rep. Andy Ogles, Tennessee Republican, urged the Justice Department to open an investigation into New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, saying that he may have violated the terms of his naturalized citizenship by supporting terrorism and thus should be deported. Published June 26, 2025
Christian camp drops lawsuit after being declared exempt from Colorado’s gender-identity rules
A Christian summer camp may continue to house campers based on sex instead of gender identity after reaching an agreement with Colorado officials on the state's anti-discrimination regulations. Published June 26, 2025
Hegseth returns fire after being scolded for saying ‘boys in bombers’
Don't expect Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to apologize for failing to use gender-inclusive language when congratulating "our boys in bombers" who took out Iran's nuclear facilities. Published June 26, 2025
Lawsuit rips MIT for becoming ‘breeding ground’ for antisemitism
A lawsuit filed Wednesday against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology accused university officials of "standing idly by" as the campus became a hotbed of antisemitism, prompting a Jewish graduate student to abandon the Ph.D. program in the face of relentless harassment. Published June 25, 2025
California has 10 days to OK booting biological males from girls’ sports or risk federal funding
The Trump administration on Wednesday gave California 10 days to agree to remove biological males from girls' scholastic sports or risk the loss of federal funding, saying the state's transgender-eligibility policy violates federal law. Published June 25, 2025
‘Trans men are men’: Planned Parenthood mocked after urging men to test for cervical cancer
Planned Parenthood saw questions raised about its medical know-how after promoting cervical cancer screenings -- for men. Published June 24, 2025
Trump administration declares end of the road for Clinton-era roadless rule
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has announced plans to rescind the hotly disputed Clinton-era roadless rule. Published June 24, 2025
Olympic great Simone Biles nukes X account after dust-up with Riley Gaines
Gymnastics star Simone Biles has apparently taken down her account on X after a public relations debacle that began when she attacked former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines over her opposition to biological males in female sports. Published June 23, 2025
Dobbs anniversary sees abortions rise, Democrats fall in defiance of predictions
Two outcomes seemed certain in the months after the Supreme Court's June 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson: Abortions would decline and the blowback from the fall of Roe v. Wade would usher in a new era of dominance for the Democratic Party. Published June 23, 2025
