SPEAK UP! VIRGINIA — EPISODE 293

In this episode of Speak Up! Virginia, Candi Cushman and Victoria Cobb discuss recent developments involving the Virginia Board of Health and a rulemaking process concerning girls’ sports, locker rooms, and changing areas.

The episode examines the Board of Health’s previous 14–0 vote to begin the rulemaking process, public comments submitted by Virginians, the subsequent withdrawal of the rulemaking, and questions raised publicly about the legal reasoning behind that decision.

Candi and Victoria also discuss recent comments from Gov. Abigail Spanberger, developments involving the Virginia Board of Health, and testimony from parents and female athletes who participated in the public process.

The episode also includes a discussion about early voting and the 2026 Family Foundation Action voter guides, which provide information about candidates and their positions on several issues.

RESOURCES

📋 2026 Voter Guides

Family Foundation Action — Voter Guides

https://www.familyfoundationaction.org/voter-guides

🏛️ Virginia Governor — Constituent Services

Contact the Governor's Office

https://constituentservices.solutions.virginia.gov/email

📞 Governor's Office: 804-786-2211

 WATCH & SHARE

Watch the full episode and share it with others who want to follow the latest developments in Virginia public policy and the Board of Health.

Speak Up! Virginia

Hosted by Candi Cushman

The Family Foundation of Virginia

This week, Candi and Todd tackle tough AI questions: what parents should know about the impact of social media and LLMs. Plus, learn more about new court cases strengthening protections for our kids.

For more information, visit: FamilyFoundation.org

This week, Candi sits down with Bruce Schlesman, Executive Director of The Family Foundation Action to get the full scoop on the impact of the upcoming mid-term elections. Together, they break down national trends and why Virginia is at the center of it all.

For more information or to support the work of The Family Foundation Action, the 501(c)(4) sister organization to The Family Foundation, visit: https://www.familyfoundationaction.org/

This week, Candi and Victoria bring you a poignant message from Bishop E.W. Jackson. In a time of confusion, it's our job as believers to bring light, truth, and clarity to our world.

For more information on One Voice Sunday, visit: https://www.familyfoundation.org/onevoice

For more resources and an upcoming schedulee on church events, visit: https://www.stand4lifeandmarriage.org/

Or as always, check out our resources at: https://www.familyfoundation.org/ & https://www.foundingfreedomslaw.org/

What happens when you simply refuse to go along with what you know is wrong?

In this episode of Speak Up! Virginia, Candi Cushman and Victoria Cobb look at two courageous women who found themselves at the center of national controversy after standing their ground.

🏀 Sophie Cunningham has faced intense backlash after speaking openly about protecting girls and women in sports. From booing and protests to controversy surrounding fans who supported her, Sophie has refused to back down — and has also been increasingly open about her Christian faith.

👶 McKenna West, a nurse and surrogate mother, refused to terminate a pregnancy after doctors discovered that the baby she was carrying had a serious but treatable heart condition. Instead, she traveled to Texas, where Baby Gabriel was born and received life-saving treatment.

These two stories may seem very different, but they raise the same fundamental question: What happens when you have the courage to stand for truth, even when the culture tells you to stay silent?

Candi and Victoria discuss:

• The controversy surrounding Sophie Cunningham and women's sports

• Why Title IX exists and what is at stake for female athletes

• The pressure Christians can face to self-censor

• The WNBA's struggle to define who is eligible to play in a women's league

• The surprising challenge from former NBA players over the league's eligibility rules

• McKenna West's decision to refuse an abortion and protect Baby Gabriel

• The growing commercialization of surrogacy and the questions it raises about the value of human life

• What these stories reveal about courage, truth, faith, and standing up for what is right

📖 Learn more and find resources from The Family Foundation:

familyfoundation.org

If this conversation encouraged you, share this episode with your friends, family, church, and community.

🎙️ Speak Up! Virginia is a podcast from The Family Foundation of Virginia, hosted by Candi Cushman with President Victoria Cobb.

We are stronger when we speak together.

Trust the science. Trust the experts. But what happens when ideology and financial incentives start driving medicine?

In this episode of Speak Up! Virginia, Candi Cushman and Victoria Cobb discuss the new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report, Wolves in White Coats, and what it reveals about the push for gender transition procedures for children.

They discuss:

• What the HHS report found about financial incentives, medical practices, and potentially improper billing

• The lack of FDA approval for puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to treat gender dysphoria in children

• How parents and patients may have been misled about risks and long-term consequences

• The legal implications for schools and why recent Supreme Court decisions are changing the landscape in Virginia

• A new legal memo from Founding Freedoms Law Center and America First Legal urging Virginia school boards to review their policies

• What parents can do to speak up and protect their children

📄 Read the HHS Report — Wolves in White Coats:

https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/hhs-wolves-in-white-coats.pdf

⚖️ Read the Founding Freedoms Law Center & America First Legal Memo:

https://www.foundingfreedomslaw.org/news/fflc-and-afl-send-legal-memo-to-school-boards-about-gender-policies

📚 Find More Resources from The Family Foundation:

https://www.familyfoundation.org/

If you found this conversation valuable, like, subscribe, and share this episode to help more parents and Virginians understand what is happening in our schools, healthcare system, and state.

#SpeakUpVirginia #FamilyFoundation #ParentsRights #Virginia #ChildrensHealth #ParentalRights

This week, catch another interview from the Social Conservative Convention. Candi and Victoria sit down with Dr. Brad Wilcox, a professor at UVA to discuss the continued value of marriage and family in restoring our culture.

To learn more, visit: https://ifstudies.org/

Follow Dr. Wilcox on X @BradWilcoxIFS

In this exclusive episode of Speak Up Virginia, former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum shares the deeply personal experiences that shaped his unwavering commitment to defending life. From heartbreaking loss to enduring faith, Santorum reflects on how Christ gave him the courage to stand firm in the public square.

Join us for a powerful conversation about faith, family, perseverance, and why the fight for life is ultimately rooted in hope—not politics.

📚 Visit familyfoundation.org to explore resources, stay informed, and learn how you can make a difference across Virginia: https://www.familyfoundation.org/

🎧 Subscribe for new Speak Up Virginia episodes every Wednesday!

#SpeakUpVirginia #RickSantorum #ProLife #FaithAndFreedom #ChristianPodcast #FamilyFoundation

This week, catch the part 2 of our podcast tackling the common myths you'll hear on this year's constitutional amendment. Candi and Jonathan are back to speak truth and equip you with what you need to talk to your neighbors about the constitutional battle to defend life!

This week, Candi sits down with the newest member of our team, Jonathan Bowell, a church planting pastor who's helping us mobilize grassroots teams across Virginia. Together, they tackle the lies of the other side, providing truth and encouragement to help you speak for life this year!

For more information, visit: https://www.familyfoundation.org/stopunlimitedabortion

Reality is making a comeback.

In this episode of Speak Up! Virginia, Candi Cushman and Victoria Cobb unpack a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision affirming that states can protect girls' and women's sports based on biological sex. What does this ruling mean for Virginia schools, parents, and student athletes? Could it reshape ongoing legal battles over locker rooms, Title IX, and girls' sports across the Commonwealth?

The conversation also covers:

• The Supreme Court's ruling on girls' sports and biological reality
• What the decision means for Virginia and the Loudoun County locker room case
• The legal confusion surrounding Virginia's rushed marijuana commercialization law
• Why governing through the state budget created unexpected consequences
• Reflections on America's 250th anniversary and the values that have made our nation unique

The Family Foundation and the Founding Freedoms Law Center are working every day to defend faith, family, freedom, and constitutional rights in Virginia.

Learn more and get involved:

🌐 https://familyfoundation.org

⚖️ https://foundingfreedomslaw.org

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share to help more Virginians stay informed on the issues shaping our Commonwealth.

#SpeakUpVirginia #GirlsSports #TitleIX #Virginia #SupremeCourt #FamilyFoundation #FaithFamilyFreedom

Victoria is back! This week, join Candi and Victoria to descuss the potential concerning national trend with DSA candidates sweeping Democrat primaries. Plus, learn more on the budget breakdown and what's coming to your neighborhoods thanks to the radical liberals in Richmond.

We’ll be taking a short break next week to celebrate the 4th of July with friends and family. 🇺🇸

But don’t worry — we’ll be back the following week with a brand-new episode. Thanks for watching and supporting Speak Up! Virginia!

For more information, visit: FamilyFoundation.org.

Catch the second half of Leslie Blackwell's incredible story of redemption and healing this week on Speak Up! Virginia. Leslie and Candi confront the lies told to women and share resources for truth and healing.

For information and to find support, please visit: https://supportafterabortion.com/

For more information on healing post-abortion, please visit: https://www.rachelsvineyard.org/

To read more post-abortion testimonials, please visit: https://abortiontestimonials.com/

To help push back on the lies in our culture and defend life, visit: https://www.familyfoundation.org/life

This week, Candi is joined by Leslie Blackwell, a former Pro-Choice activist turned March for Life speaker and warrior for Life, helping women heal from their abortions. Hear the first part of this compelling interview where Leslie shares her extrordinary testimony.

For more information on Leslie's work, visit: https://www.facebook.com/SilentnomoreRVA/

This week, Candi sits down with Noah Coffin, the couragous leader of a Turning Point USA Club America chapter at Albemarle High School about the issues facing Gen-Z. You wont want to miss this exclusive interview.

Tune in to our exclusive interview with Tim Goeglein from Focus on the Family. Tim shares his perspective on the moral crisis facing America and what faithful Christians can do to be a light for truth in chaotic times.

To hear more from Tim, you can read his column at https://dailycitizen.focusonthefamily.com/

Or purchase his new book, What Really Matters: Restoring a Legacy of Faith, Freedom, and Family

https://www.amazon.com/What-Really-Matters-Restoring-Freedom/dp/1956454888

This week, Candi and Victoria bring you the latest on the showdown between Senator Louise Lucas and Governor Spanberger. Recent Governor's vetos meams things are heating up! Plus, one podcast host's family reveals the truth behind what women really want.

Contact Governor Spanberger's office about upcoming legislation: https://tinyurl.com/mryb56ty

Riley Gaines joins Speak Up Virginia for a powerful conversation on protecting women’s sports, defending life, and standing for truth in today’s culture. Hear her full speech from our Northern Virginia Benefit Dinner and why these battles matter for the future of Virginia and beyond.

Learn more at https://www.familyfoundation.org

It's been a BIG week for Virginia. Catch up on all the details from the SCOVA's move to overturn the Redistricting Referrendum to Sen. Lucas' FBI raid and new evidence on the shady dealings of the SPLC. Candi and Victoria break down the latest updates.

This week, Candi and Victoria bring you the highlights from our Northern Virginia dinner with Riley Gaines. Plus, learn more about a Supreme Court win and what the Founding Freedoms Law center is doing to combat deceptive ballot language for Virginia's Abortion amendment.

To learn more about the case and support the work of FFLC, check out: https://www.foundingfreedomslaw.org/

For resources on how you can help fight the amendment, visit: https://www.familyfoundation.org/stopunlimitedabortion