What can parents do to protect their girls from gender ideology and the abortion pill?
**June 19, 2026: We thank those who joined us for our presentation yesterday. We hope to post the video and additional links soon. Please signup for our email to stay updated. In the interim, please see our resource list below. **
With Mary Summa, J.D.
General Counsel, NC Values Coalition
Thursday June 18, 7:00 p.m.
Saint Mark Church Kerin Center
14740 Stumptown Road, Huntersville, NC
In today’s culture girls and young women are having their privacy and safety threatened with:
- Sharing public school bathrooms and locker rooms with males
- Unfairly competing against biological men in sports
- The proliferation of the harmful abortion pill
Learn how to recognize the dangers, stand up and protect the dignity of girls and women.
Sponsored by Carolina Family Coalition and Saint Mark Respect Life Committee.
Featuring NC Values Coalition and the Protect Our Daughters campaign.
Mary Summa, J.D.
After graduating from law school in 1984, Mary pursued her love of politics and served as a staff attorney on the Separation of Powers Subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. After a short time in that office, Mary accepted an offer from Senator Jesse Helms to join his staff. She served the Senator for almost five years, first as a legislative assistant and then as his chief legislative assistant where she handled his social issues including life issues, family issues, women’s and children’s issues, pornography, AIDS and Title X.
In her capacity as a legislative aide, Mary advised the Senator on bills before the Senate, wrote legislation, wrote his floor statements, prepared and assisted him on legislative initiatives on the Senate floor. After leaving the Senate, Mary returned to her hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina where she served as a prosecutor for the 26th Judicial District until the birth of her first child. While raising her five children with her husband, Phil, between 1992 and 2012, Mary served on four National Platform Committees at the Republican National Convention where she worked closely with Phyllis Schlafly and spearheaded the efforts to retain the pro-life plank and include pro-family provisions in the Platform.
She also has authored over 30 articles on pro-life and pro-family issues. From 2015- January 2022, she served as an Assistant Professor at Belmont Abbey College where she taught criminal justice and government classes. For many years, she served on the Boards of the Jesse Helms Center and Mira Via, a maternity home on the campus of Belmont Abbey which serves pregnant college-aged women. Additionally, she has served as a guest panelist at a number of conferences including the National Policy Council and the Governor’s Conference on Women.
Mary is the recipient of a number of awards including the National Eagle Forum Homemaker of the Year Award, World Magazine’s Salt and Light Award, Mira Via’s William Wellein Life Award, and was a 2016 Lawyer’s Weekly nominee of the 50 Most Influential Women.
Mary was married for 32 years to her husband, Phil, and has five grown children. She enjoys sailing and horseback riding and traveling with her children.
Gender Ideology Resources
Protect Our Daughters, NC Values Coalition
A Catechesis on the Human Person and Gender Ideology – Bishop Michael Burbidge, Diocese of Arlington (VA)
Gender Ideology: What Catholics Need to Know With Mary Rice Hasson, J.D. – Archdiocese of San Francisco (CA)
Doctrinal Note on the Moral Limits to Technological Manipulation of the Human Body – US Conference of Catholic Bishops (March 2023)
“Responding in Truth and Love to Gender Ideology” – Theresa Farnan, Ph.D. (talk at St. Mark Church, November 2022)
Person and Identity Project (Ethics & Public Policy Center)
Competing Views of the Human Person – Person and Identity Project
Christian Anthropology: “Who am I?” – Person and Identity Project
The Body Reveals the Person: A Catholic Response to the Challenges of Gender Ideology – Bishop Daniel E. Thomas (Toledo, OH)
Abortion Pill Resources
An Overview of Online Abortion Drug Access in Post-Dobbs America – Charlotte Lozier Institute
