Pennsylvania parents—not Josh Shapiro—should decide their children’s care
Two days before Pennsylvania votes, Shapiro’s taped pledge to protect “our trans children” collides with his lawsuit and his record on girls’ sports.
Pennsylvania parents, not Gov. Josh Shapiro, should decide what happens to their children. The Daily Wire's Megan Brock reported on Nov. 1 that the governor has told activists on video where he stands: he pledged to protect "our trans children1."
The setting was Shapiro's fourth annual Pride reception at the Governor's Residence, where he welcomed Adm. Rachel Levine back to the mansion1. This is the same governor who reestablished the Governor's Advisory Commission on LGBTQ Affairs2.
"Our" trans children? Children in Pennsylvania belong to their mothers and fathers, and Shapiro's record shows what his version of protection means.
Shapiro sued to keep transition drugs available
In August 2025, Shapiro joined 15 states and Washington, D.C., in a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration's effort to end transition interventions for people under 19. He was the only individual named on the plaintiffs' list; every other plaintiff was a state or the District of Columbia3.
The fight goes beyond surgery. UPMC, a Pittsburgh health system, told KDKA-TV that the federal restrictions covered puberty blockers and hormone therapy for anyone under 194.
The complaint says medical professionals sought to provide “necessary, lawful care,” and Shapiro accused the administration of “threatening baseless civil investigations and criminal prosecutions against healthcare providers in Pennsylvania.” The Supreme Court has upheld a state law restricting puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for minors. The Supreme Court opinion in United States v. Skrmetti records that the Court decided the case 6-3, issued June 18, 2025, holding that Tennessee’s law satisfied rational-basis review under the Equal Protection Clause5.
Shapiro called girls’ sports protections “extremist”
Shapiro first spoke publicly about Pennsylvania's girls' sports bill in July 2025, and he aimed his words at the bill's supporters. "What we do not need in Pennsylvania are politicians — extremist politicians like Donald Trump, [Republican State Sen.] Doug Mastriano, and these others — trying to legislate a student's participation," he said3.
The Republican-led Senate passed the bill to keep males out of women's and girls' sports, but House Democrats have not brought it to a floor vote6. Spotlight PA reports that Shapiro called supporters of a ban on transgender athletes in women’s and girls’ sports “extremist,” but did not commit to vetoing such a bill. A governor confident in his position would answer that question.
His administration wants the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association and local districts to decide eligibility. When the PIAA got President Trump's executive order on sex-based teams, it told schools to consult their lawyers and left each school to set its own policy6. So the girl on the starting line depends on a school lawyer, not a state law.
Public backlash forced the proposal’s withdrawal
Families have not waited for Harrisburg. After taking office, Shapiro kept a regulation from Gov. Tom Wolf's administration that reads "sex" to include sexual orientation and gender identity. The Thomas More Society has sued to block that regulation on behalf of parents and school districts, and the case awaits Commonwealth Court6.
During his first gubernatorial campaign, Shapiro pledged to use political capital to persuade the divided General Assembly to pass the Fairness Act, saying, “We’re going to get it done when I’m governor, because I give a damn, and I’m willing to put capital behind getting the nondiscrimination bill passed.” Parents are fighting that rule in court today.
Parents can judge Shapiro by his record
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, Pennsylvania chooses between Shapiro and Republican Stacy Garrity2. Garrity has made protecting girls' sports a campaign issue: "Pennsylvania's daughters should not have to train for years, sacrificing and fighting for every inch of success, only to be told when they reach the finish line the rules no longer matter6."
Shapiro's national boosters sell him as a moderate, but his own pledge and his own lawsuit say otherwise. Before Tuesday, Pennsylvania parents should demand three answers from him.
Should a Pennsylvania child be put on puberty blockers, yes or no? Should girls in Pennsylvania compete only against girls, and will you sign the Senate's bill, yes or no? Do parents, not the governor, decide what is done to their children, yes or no?
Sources
- @MegEBrock on X, 2026-11-01: Democrat Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro pledged to protect “our trans children” and welcomed Admiral Rachel Levine back to the Governor’s mansion at his fourth annual pride reception, video obtained by The Daily Wire shows. https://x.com/MegEBrock/status/21, 2026-11-01
- PA election 2026: Shapiro vs. Garrity on health care, abortion - WHYY
- Shapiro and others sue Trump over healthcare for transgender individuals
- Gov. Josh Shapiro joins lawsuit suing Trump Administration over gender-affirming care - CBS Pittsburgh
- Supreme Court opinion (No. 23-477)
- PA election: Where Garrity, Shapiro stand on LGBTQ rights • Spotlight PA
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