US: Minnesota newspaper runs anti-transgender ad from listed hate group

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A Minnesota newspaper has run a second full-page advert from a listed hate group, attacking rights for transgender people.

The Minnesota Star-Tribune carried another ad from the ‘Minnesota Child Protection League’ – run by the head of the Parents Action League, which is listed by the Southern Poverty Law Centre as an active anti-gay hate group.

The hate group first advertised in the newspaper in September, claiming that a trans-inclusive high school sports policy would lead to sexual assaults in the shower.

It read: “A male wants to shower beside your 14-year-old daughter. Are YOU OK with that?”

Despite the first backlash, the newspaper has now accepted another full-page ad from the listed hate group.

The new ad – which features a girl in sports uniform – warns: “The end of girls’ sports?

“Her dreams of a scholarship shattered, your 14-year-old daughter just lost her position on an all-girl team to a male… and now she may have to shower with him. Are you willing to let that happen?”

It also encourages people to contact the head of the Minnesota State High School League and express outrage at the plans.

NBC sports writer Aaron Gleeman was one of the many who spoke out against the ad.

He said: “Why is the Minneapolis Star Tribune publishing misleading, bigoted ads against transgendered people?

“Sub in basically any other group of humans for transgendered people and try to imagine a newspaper accepting the ad.”