DAVIS, CA—A local school board meeting was thrown into chaos on September 18, 2025, when a parental rights activist stripped down to a bikini during public comment to protest the district’s policies on gender self-identification in student facilities.
Beth Bourne, the Chair of the Yolo County Chapter of the conservative group Moms for Liberty, used her allotted public speaking time at the Davis Joint Unified School District (DJUSD) board meeting to stage the provocative demonstration. Her target was a district policy that allows students to self-identify their gender and choose locker rooms and bathrooms accordingly, a measure she claims violates parental rights and compromises student safety.
The Disruption: A Visual Protest
Addressing the board, Bourne began by referencing the requirement for students to undress for physical education class at junior high schools like Emerson, Holmes, and Harper.
“I’m just going to give you an idea what that looks like when I undress,” she stated, proceeding to remove her clothing to reveal a two-piece bikini.
As she disrobed, she continued her criticism, claiming the policy was “insane.” Her action was immediately met with a gavel and an interjection from the board, which called for an immediate recess due to the disruption. Bourne vocally protested the halt, arguing her First Amendment rights were being infringed upon by being prevented from completing her public comment.
The meeting resumed shortly after, but when Bourne once again began to remove her shirt, a second recess was called, lasting over 30 minutes. Following the second pause, Bourne was reportedly escorted out of the chamber.
A Flashpoint in the Culture War
Bourne’s protest is the latest, and most visible, flashpoint in the national debate over LGBTQ+ inclusion in schools, and highlights the ongoing activism of Moms for Liberty.
Moms for Liberty, which describes itself as an advocacy group for parental rights, has garnered attention nationwide for its efforts to challenge curricula, book selections, and transgender-inclusive policies in public schools. The Southern Poverty Law Center has described the organization as “far-right.”
This is not Bourne’s first confrontation with the DJUSD. She has been a fixture at board meetings to protest these policies for over three years, and in 2023, the district filed a restraining order against her for allegedly targeting teachers who displayed Pride flags.
While Bourne has defended her actions by stating that if a 50-year-old woman in a bathing suit can disrupt a board meeting, the sight of students changing in front of those who are self-identifying into facilities must cause discomfort for young girls, her method drew sharp criticism from the board. Trustee Cecilia Escamilla-Greenwald indicated that the board would be consulting with legal counsel on how to handle similar situations in the future, calling the behavior “very inappropriate.”
As of this writing, the Davis Joint Unified School District has not issued a formal public response to the incident, leaving the controversial policies and the tensions they create to remain at the forefront of the community’s dialogue. Bourne’s drastic performance ensures that the debate over gender identity, parental authority, and student safety remains squarely in the public eye.
Refresh Page
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.