In this episode of The Family Policy Alliance Report, Walt shares the deeply personal journey that led him to live as a woman for eight years before ultimately detransitioning. Today, after counseling thousands of people experiencing gender distress, he believes many individuals are being treated for symptoms while the underlying causes remain unaddressed.

Together, Walt and Craig DeRoche discuss the childhood experiences that shaped his life, his successful career while privately struggling with his identity, the moment that changed everything, and why he believes families deserve a more compassionate and truth-centered conversation about gender identity.

The conversation also explores why Walt believes policies protecting minors from irreversible medical interventions should be expanded to include young adults, and how his Christian faith became the foundation for lasting healing after years of addiction, homelessness and despair.

Whether you’re a parent, policymaker or simply seeking to better understand today’s conversation surrounding gender identity, Walt’s testimony offers a firsthand perspective on trauma, healing, redemption and hope.

His story also serves as a reminder that parents should remain at the center of the most important decisions affecting their children—a principle Family Policy Alliance advances through our Let Parents Parent campaign, which protects parents’ fundamental right to direct the upbringing, education and care of their children.

Watch the full conversation, then learn more about Walt Heyer’s ministry at waltheyer.com.

What do a middle school survey, children’s programming and parental rights have in common?

Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY) says they’re all part of a growing trend of excluding parents from important decisions affecting their children.

In this episode of the Family Policy Alliance Report, Craig DeRoche sits down with Rep. Hageman to discuss why parental rights matter, from education to children’s programming. These issues are also at the heart of Family Policy Alliance’s Let Parents Parent campaign, which exists to protect parents’ fundamental right to direct the upbringing, education and care of their children.

One example is two congressional resolutions Rep. Hageman has introduced to strengthen parental rights. One calls for greater transparency around LGBTQ-themed content in children’s programming by requiring content warnings, while the other focuses on increasing parental access to school curriculum and student records. Together, she says, they reflect a broader effort to ensure parents remain at the center of decisions affecting their children.

Along the way, they discuss:

• The Wyoming case of a school transitioning a student without the parents’ knowledge
• Why one streaming giant’s children’s programming is drawing congressional scrutiny
• The role parents can play in holding schools and lawmakers accountable
• How states are leading the fight to protect parental rights

Whether you’re a parent, grandparent or simply concerned about the direction of our culture, this conversation explores why parental rights continue to be one of the defining issues facing families today.

Watch the full podcast, learn more about our Let Parents Parent campaign and discover additional resources below.

Who should decide what is appropriate for your child?

At Family Policy Alliance, we believe the answer is simple: parents.

Parents know their children best. They are uniquely called to guide, protect, and raise them according to their family’s values, not the shifting priorities of government institutions or cultural trends.

Unfortunately, that principle is increasingly being challenged.

Recently, the University of Illinois, a publicly funded institution, promoted a ticketed drag performance as a “family-friendly” event, encouraging parents to “bring the whole family” for an afternoon of drag performances, museum tours, and Pride programming. Family Policy Alliance was called on to respond in this Campus Reform article, reminding Americans of a simple but important truth:

“Labeling something ‘family-friendly’ does not make it appropriate for children. Parents, not government institutions, bear the responsibility of deciding what is suitable for their own families.”

This isn’t just about one university or one event.

Across the country, parents are increasingly being sidelined by schools, government institutions, and powerful cultural influences that presume to know what’s best for America’s children. We believe parents should remain the primary decision-makers in their children’s lives.

That’s why Family Policy Alliance launched our Let Parents Parent campaign, equipping families with practical resources, advancing commonsense policies, and working alongside our state family policy councils to defend parental rights and protect children across the country.

Parents shouldn’t have to fight alone to raise their children according to their values.

Thank you for standing with us as we continue protecting children, defending parents’ rights, and ensuring families, not government, remain at the center of raising the next generation.

Gratefully,

Craig DeRoche
President and CEO, Family Policy Alliance

Artificial intelligence is moving faster than most of us can keep up with. While many people think of AI as a helpful tool, it’s also raising serious questions about our children’s safety, our relationships and even what it means to be human.

In our latest episode of The Family Policy Alliance Report, Craig DeRoche sits down with Brendan Steinhauser, CEO of The Alliance for Secure AI, to discuss why Christians can’t afford to ignore this rapidly changing technology.

One reality is especially alarming: families have already filed lawsuits alleging AI chatbots encouraged children to engage in self-harm and even suicide. At the same time, more young people are spending hours interacting with AI companions instead of building healthy human relationships.

Craig and Brendan discuss:

• Why AI is becoming one of the biggest challenges facing today’s families
• What parents need to know about the growing risks of AI companions
• How states are responding while Washington struggles to keep up
• Why who leads the future of AI matters for America’s security
• Simple steps every family can take to navigate AI wisely

Artificial intelligence isn’t just a technology issue. It’s a family issue.

Watch the full conversation, then explore how Family Policy Alliance equips Christians with practical tools to stay informed, engage on the issues and help protect the values that strengthen families: FamilyPolicyAlliance.com.

Together, we can help build a nation where God is honored, religious freedom flourishes, families thrive and life is cherished.

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As America celebrates its 250th year, we’re reminded that the freedoms we cherish have always depended on citizens willing to participate—not just in Washington, but in their own towns, school districts and communities.

In our latest episode of the Family Policy Alliance Report, Craig DeRoche sits down with Steve Maxwell, founder of Citizens Defending Freedom, to discuss why so many Christians care deeply about their communities, but never get involved.

In fact, in some school board elections, 92% of Christians don’t participate.

Craig and Steve discuss:

• Why local elections often have a greater impact on your family than national races
• What happened when one pastor challenged his church to get involved
• Why more than 2,800 pastors have joined this growing movement
• Practical ways Christians can make a difference where they live

This conversation isn’t about partisan politics. It’s about participation.

Watch the full conversation, then explore how Family Policy Alliance equips Christians with practical tools to stay informed, engage on the issues and make a difference where they live.

The future of freedom is shaped one community at a time. Together, we can help build a nation where God is honored, religious freedom flourishes, families thrive and life is cherished.

Dear Friends,

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a landmark victory for girls and women across America. In a decision combining two cases, B.P.J. v. West Virginia and Hecox v. Little, the Court ruled 9-0 that states may restrict girls’ athletic teams based on biological sex under Title IX, and 6-3 that they may do so under the Equal Protection Clause.

It’s a victory worth celebrating. But it didn’t happen overnight.

As early as 2016, long before this issue made national headlines, Family Policy Alliance (FPA) began raising concerns about fairness in women’s sports. That early leadership led to historic action: in 2020, working alongside our state ally Idaho Family Policy Center, FPA helped lead the charge to draft and pass the nation’s first Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, the very law at the center of today’s decision. What started in Idaho sparked a movement, and more than half the states in the country have since passed similar protections.

Since then, our #SaveGirlsSports campaign, coalition calls with Family Policy Council leaders, and the leadership of Statesmen Academy® alumni serving as bill sponsors have helped carry this fight into statehouse after statehouse. FPA proudly joined an impactful amicus brief from our incredible state allies at True North Legal and Kansas Family Voice, filed on behalf of Idaho Rep. Barb Ehardt, 205 female legislators, and 38 Family Policy Councils nationwide.

Today’s decision is the culmination of years of faithful work by courageous athletes, dedicated state leaders, and organizations committed to standing for truth.

Our work isn’t finished. Not every state has enacted protections for girls’ sports, and FPA will keep equipping state leaders to defend fairness, opportunity, and truth for every female athlete. Today, we celebrate what has been accomplished. Tomorrow, we get back to work.

If you believe women’s sports are worth protecting, stand with us. Visit our Save Girls’ Sports resource page to learn more, and if you’re able, please consider a gift to help FPA continue advancing policies that protect girls, strengthen families, and uphold truth across the country.

Thank you for faithfully standing with us and supporting our ministry to help make victories like this possible.

Together,

The Family Policy Alliance Team

When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, many Americans thought the battle over abortion was largely won.

Four years later, the reality is far more complicated.

In our latest episode, Craig DeRoche sits down with Clare Ath, head of government affairs for ​Human Coalition​, one of the nation’s largest organizations where women facing unplanned pregnancies can find support, resources and alternatives to abortion.

The numbers she shares may surprise you.

Human Coalition expects to serve approximately 50,000 women this year who are actively considering abortion. Even more striking, Clare says that 78% of the women they’ve served say they would prefer to parent if their circumstances were different.

So what’s driving so many women to believe abortion is their only option?

The answer isn’t what most people think.

Craig and Clare discuss:
• The biggest need women facing unplanned pregnancies consistently identify
• Why Dobbs was a critical victory, but not the end of the fight
• Why state-level policy battles are becoming increasingly important
• New proposals that could help support parents when they need it most

Changing laws is only part of the solution. The deeper challenge is changing hearts, strengthening families and ensuring women know they are not alone.

The work of protecting life didn’t end with Dobbs, and it won’t end here. Family Policy Alliance will continue equipping you with the information and opportunities you need to make a difference through your Family Policy Council, action alerts and voter engagement.

Together, we can help build a nation where life is cherished.

Watch the full conversation today.

Dear Friend,

This week marks four years since the Supreme Court’s landmark Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade and returned abortion policy to the American people and their elected representatives.

Dobbs was a historic victory for life, but the work of protecting preborn children, supporting mothers, and advancing a culture that values every human life continues.

As we commemorate this important anniversary, pro-life leaders in the U.S. Senate are seeking unanimous consent on several measures that would protect vulnerable Americans and strengthen support for women, children and families, including:

• Sen. Lankford: Conscience Protection Act, S. 1756
• Sen. Blackburn: Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act, S. 4329
• Sen. Britt: MOMS Act, S. 1630
• Sen. Budd: Promoting Human Flourishing in Foreign Assistance Act
• Sen. Daines: Protecting Individuals with Down Syndrome Act, S. 205
• Sen. Hyde-Smith: SAVE Moms and Babies, S. 3697
• Sen. Ernst: Protect Funding for Women’s Health Care Act, S. 177
• Sen. Moody: Pregnant Students Rights Act, S. 3627
• Sen. Banks: Forced Abortion Prevention and Accountability Act, S. 2955
  

We at Family Policy Alliance stand with these senators as they seek to place abortion and the protection of women and girls squarely before the public. We are encouraged to see leaders continue advancing policies that affirm the dignity of every human life.

As these proposals are being considered on the Senate floor, would you join us in praying?

Pray for wisdom and courage for our nation’s leaders. Pray that every human life would be recognized as possessing inherent dignity and worth. Pray for mothers facing difficult circumstances, for families in need of support, and for policies that protect both women and their children.

Four years after Dobbs, we celebrate this historic victory and remain committed to the work of protecting life, supporting women and families, and advancing policies that help every person flourish.

Thank you for joining us in prayer this week and for standing with us as we work toward a nation where families thrive and life is cherished.

For Life,

Craig DeRoche
President & CEO

Dear Friends,

This Sunday, families across America will pause to honor the fathers, grandfathers, and father figures who have shaped who we are.

Strong families are the foundation of a strong nation, and faithful fathers play a vital role in building them. Through their everyday guidance, correction, sacrifice, and steadfast presence, fathers pass on the values, faith, and character that outlast them for generations.

Scripture says it plainly: “The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him.” (Proverbs 20:7).

President Reagan once said, “All great change in America begins at the dinner table.” He was right. The most consequential work in our nation doesn’t happen in committee rooms or on campaign trails. It happens in homes, around dinner tables and in the simple moments that matter most.

At Family Policy Alliance and Foundation, we are deeply grateful for the fathers who lead their families well. Their influence doesn’t stop at their front door. It flows into their churches, their communities, and ultimately, our nation.

This Father’s Day, would you join us in praying for the fathers in your life? May God grant them wisdom, strength, and the courage to keep leading well.

Wishing you a joyful and blessed Father’s Day,

The Family Policy Alliance Team

Can the government compel a faith-based ministry to disclose private donor information? 

That question led to a unanimous 9-0 Supreme Court ruling in favor of a New Jersey pregnancy resource center.

While the case involves a pregnancy center, the principles at stake reach far beyond the life issue. The Court’s ruling reinforces protections for free association, donor privacy and the constitutional rights of Americans to support causes they believe in without fear of government intimidation.

In our latest Family Policy Alliance Report podcast, Craig DeRoche sits down with Gabriella McIntyre of ​Alliance Defending Freedom​, who helped secure the victory before the nation’s highest court.

Together, they discuss:

• How a request for donor records became a major First Amendment case
• The support the pregnancy center received from unexpected allies
• Why even Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson questioned the legal basis for New Jersey’s case
• What decades-old legal precedent led to the unanimous decision
• What this decision could mean for ministries, nonprofits and advocacy organizations nationwide

The ruling was decisive, but the broader fight is not over.

Watch the full conversation to hear the attorney behind the case explain what happened, why it matters and what comes next.