Common sense is apparently on an extended vacation. Men and boys, under the banner of "trans inclusion," have waltzed into women’s private spaces and sports, leaving chaos and concussions in their wake. This is dangerous absurdity and, while some battles are being waged, the war on women and girls is getting uglier.

One recent story covers volleyball, where three brave women from Santa Rosa Junior College filed a Title IX complaint to boot a transgender, male-born player from their team. Why? Because this “trans-female,” Ximena Gomez, allegedly smashed a volleyball into a female opponent’s face, sending her crumbling with a concussion. These women are not alone. In 2022, a male masquerading as a female spiked high school volleyball athlete Peyton McNabb in the head with a ball. McNabb was left with a traumatic brain injury, a brain bleed, partial paralysis and loss of peripheral vision on her right side, ongoing memory loss, confusion, and severe headaches. She partnered with Riley Gaines and other women who have been victimized by mediocre men competing against women to produce a video on the subject. The women from Santa Rosa, fed up with risking their safety for the sake of feelings, spoke out about the dangers of competing against someone with the physical advantages of male biology. Their reward? Benched by their coach and their playing time slashed. Apparently, pointing out that a biological male might have an unfair edge in women’s sports is now a one-way ticket to the sidelines. Who knew that protecting your skull could be so controversial?

But it’s not just about sports, and it’s not just about girls. The cultural battlefield is broader. Modern young adult (YA) media is poisoning girls with a toxic cocktail of narcissism, boy-hatred, and premature sexualization. Instead of heroines who embody resilience or virtue, we get “girlbosses” like Seraphina Darkmoon -- yes, that’s a real fictional name -- who are flawless, chosen ones destined to topple the evil patriarchy. These stories reduce boys to punchlines or disposable props, teaching girls that their value lies in being desired rather than becoming worthy. It’s as if the publishing industry decided that empowering girls means convincing them to hate half the population while obsessing over their own sparkle. One author lists a "toxic recipe" in books targeting young women: cynicism, victimhood, performative rebellion, erasure of femininity, and breaking the bonds of friendship, marriage and faith. In another article, the same author describes the war on boys. It's worth noting that she also lists other books that are wholesome alternatives to the poison being foisted on our young people.

Now, let’s connect the dots. We are under a multipronged attack from forces that are simply evil. They’re telling children they can change their sex at will, they’re telling men they’re toxic and they’re telling women that they’re only worthwhile if they set aside what makes them female. When we let biological males into women’s locker rooms and sports teams, we’re not just risking concussions; we’re endorsing a narrative that erases the very essence of womanhood. The same ideology that cheers a male-born athlete spiking a ball into a girl’s face also fuels YA tropes that tell girls they’re only special if they’re the “Chosen One” lusted after by brooding vampires or snarky wizards. It’s the same ideology that tells white people they’re inherently racist and treats boys as girls with behavioral disorders. It’s an asymmetric attack: physical safety is compromised on the court, safety and dignity is compromised in the showers and locker rooms, and mental clarity is muddied by media that glorifies self-obsession over strength.

They tell us that this is progress -- men in women’s spaces, women and girls taught to despise men and boys while the men and boys are feminized -- all in the name of equality. Yet, the Santa Rosa players’ concussion-inducing reality and the cultural rot of YA fiction scream otherwise. Women lose scholarships, safety, and dignity when biological males compete as “women.” Girls lose hope and humility when media whispers that their worth is tied to power or allure, not character. Boys lose their sense of purpose and dignity when they’re told their character is toxic. And when brave souls dare to protest, they’re punished, proving that the real sin today is daring to prioritize “fairness” over feelings.

So, here’s what we do: we hammer home the fact that biological males in women’s sports or locker rooms is nothing but a safety hazard wrapped in a rainbow flag. We stop feeding girls stories that make them think hating boys or chasing sparkly validation is empowerment, and we stop feminizing boys. Instead, we provide them with healthy, wholesome books and activities that model biological realities and noble, moral ideals.

The war being waged on us isn’t just fought on the volleyball court; it’s waged in every book, movie, and policy that sacrifices truth for ideology. It is a spiritual battle:

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Maybe it’s time we bench the nonsense and spike some morality and common sense back into the game.

Image: Pixabay