SEVEN NEWS. TODAY MARKS THE 53RD ANNIVERSARY OF TITLE NINE. THAT’S THE LANDMARK FEDERAL LAW PROHIBITING SEX DISCRIMINATION IN PROGRAMS RECEIVING FEDERAL FUNDING. A LOCAL EVENT CELEBRATING IT AND WOMEN IN SPORTS IS RECEIVING SOME PUSHBACK. ALYSSA MUNOZ IS LIVE IN SANTA FE, WHERE SOME SAY THE EVENT CELEBRATES WOMEN AT THE EXCLUSION OF OTHERS. HEY, RON, WILL THE HER GAME, HER LEGACY EVENT JUST ENDED? YOU CAN SEE THAT RIGHT HERE BEHIND ME AT THE INN AND SPA AT LORETTO. NOW, ORGANIZERS SAY THIS WAS NOT A POLITICAL EVENT, BUT OTHERS SAY IT WAS PROMOTING CONSERVATIVE VIEWS. BEING PRO IS NOT ANTI ANYONE AND WE ARE VERY OUR ORGANIZATION, INDEPENDENT WOMEN IS WELCOMING OF EVERYBODY. WE’RE HERE TO LIKE CELEBRATE TRANS PEOPLE. WE’VE ALWAYS EXISTED AND YEAH THAT ANTI-TRANS HATE IS JUST NOT WELCOME HERE. PROTESTERS OUTSIDE OF THE EVENT HER GAME HER LEGACY INDEPENDENT WOMEN. THE ORGANIZERS SAYS THIS IS A CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN SPORTS, SAYING YOU’RE YOU’RE YOU KNOW, YOU’RE YOU’RE A LEGENDARY. YOU ARE YOU’RE POWERFUL. YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, CAPABLE AND YOUR SPORTS ARE YOUR SPORTS. THE EVENT WAS GOING TO BE HELD AT THE SANTA FE FARMERS MARKET, BUT IT CANCELED THE CONTRACT, SAYING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THE ORGANIZERS MISLED THEM. INITIALLY DESCRIBED THE EVENT AS A CELEBRATION FOR ATHLETES AND FAMILIES. THEY ADDED THEY DISAGREE WITH THE MESSAGE AND INTENT OF THIS PARTICULAR EVENT. DESPITE THE CHANGE, THE CELEBRATION CONTINUED, BUT PROTESTERS OUTSIDE THE EVENT SAY THEY’RE NOT WELCOME. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HERE PROTESTING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THERE IS AN EVENT THAT BILLED ITSELF AS PROTECTING WOMEN’S RIGHTS, BUT BUT REALLY, IT’S AN ANTI-TRANS HATE CAMPAIGN, AND THEY ARE TRYING TO GET TRANS PEOPLE OUT OF SPORTS. ATHLETICS DO SO MUCH FOR EVERYONE, AND EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE AMPLE ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS. BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUNG WOMEN AND GIRLS KNOW THAT THEIR SPORTS ARE GOING TO BE FOUGHT FOR, FOR THEM AND PRESERVED FOR THEM. NOW, THE ORGANIZATION’S LEGAL TEAM TELLS ME THE FARMERS MARKET WAS IN BREACH OF THEIR CONTRACT, THAT THEY PLAN TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. REPORTING IN SANTA FE. I’M MELISSA MUNOZ, KOAT ACTION SEVEN NEWS. THANKS, ALYSSA. THE GROUP PLANS A BUS TOUR AROUND N

Advertisement Title IX anniversary event sparks protest over trans inclusion in sports “Being pro-woman is not anti-anyone,” said Victoria Coley, the organization’s vice president of communications Editorial Standards ⓘ

Monday marks the 53rd anniversary of Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in programs receiving federal funding. Independent Women’s Forum hosted an event called “Her Game, Her Legacy” to celebrate the anniversary and women in sports at the Inn and Spa at Loretto. Guest speakers included former Gov. Susanna Martinez and U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon. However, outside the hotel, people protested the event saying it’s anti-transgender. “Being pro-woman is not anti-anyone, and our very organization, Independent Women, is welcoming everybody,” said Victoria Coley, the organization’s vice president of communications. “Athletics does so much for everyone, and everyone should have the ample ability to participate in sports, but we want to make sure that young women and girls know that their sports are going to be fought for them, preserved for them for generations to come.” West West, a protester, said any anti-trans messages are not welcome in Santa Fe. “We’re here to celebrate trans people — we’ve always existed, and anti-trans hate is not welcome here. A lot of people are here protesting because there is an event that billed itself as protecting women’s rights, but really, it’s an anti-trans hate campaign. They’re trying to get trans people out of sports,” West said. “No one’s safe till we’re all safe. Anti-trans hate, anti-trans misogyny hurts all women — these rigid gendered roles hurt all women.”The event’s original venue, The Santa Fe Farmer’s Market Institute, cancelled the contract with them this weekend. The New Mexico House of Republicans sent a statement about this incident: “Instead of celebrating Title IX and honoring the achievements of women in sports, the Farmers Market folded. They pulled the plug on an event meant to uplift and empower girls across New Mexico. What should have been a moment of pride became a display of cowardice. “On social media, they said, “The agreement signed by the Independent Women’s Forum described the event as a ‘Celebration for Athletes and Families.’ That description was fundamentally misleading. As much as we support free speech, we want to make it clear that SFFMI is in disagreement with the message and intent of this particular event.” Beth Parlato, the senior legal advisor of the organization, said SFFMI breached their contract with them. “We had everything in writing of exactly what we were doing. If we were going to do a political event, it would be under our other organization, sister organization, which is our C4. That’s not what this is. This is a C3 organization under Independent Women’s Forum because it’s not political. It is a celebration of the young girls of New Mexico and celebrating their athletics,” Parlato said. The group is planning a bus tour throughout New Mexico to spread their message. The Democratic Party of New Mexico sent a statement: “For years now, inept New Mexico Republicans have used this issue to manufacture desperate publicity stunts designed to sow division and hate for attention. It’s frankly just sad to see Susana Martinez reemerge for such a hateful, desperate attention grab alongside a bussed-in group of national hatemongers. “Shame on disgraced Susana Martinez and the New Mexico GOP for partaking in such a pathetic media circus distraction as New Mexicans worry about more important issues like rising costs, rural hospital closures, and the country being on the precipice of being dragged into another war by Trump.”