Gubernatorial hopeful Blakeman promises statewide ban on transgender girls' school facilities

Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County Executive and Republican candidate for New York governor, pledged a statewide "Protect Our Daughters" policy that would forbid transgender students from accessing girls' bathrooms, locker rooms, and shared overnight accommodations in public schools. The plan targets students from kindergarten through high school and aims to prevent biological males who have transitioned to female from participating in these spaces.

Blakeman said the initiative counters recent actions by the state Department of Education, which, with Governor Kathy Hochul’s support, overturned local board bans on transgender bathroom use in Long Island districts such as Locust Valley and Massapequa. He argued the policy would also protect districts from potential state sanctions or funding cuts. Democratic Party spokesperson Addison Dick dismissed the proposal as a regressive political ploy. Enacting the measure would require convincing a legislature and education department that are currently controlled by the opposing party.