NBA, WNBA Back Lean In Girls Program That Tells Facilitators Not to Call Participants 'Girls'

NBA and WNBA Back Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In Girls; Guide Tells Adults Not to Address Participants as 'Girls' and Covers Gender Identity

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The NBA and WNBA have spent more than a decade with Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In organization, a relationship that has expanded to include promoting a leadership program for 11-year-old girls.

There's just one problem: the handbook for the adults running the program tells them not to call the group "girls."

Yes, Lean In Girls, which the NBA and WNBA say they are "proud to support," includes guidance for working with participants who may be exploring their gender identity. Its facilitator's guide encourages children to share their pronouns and teaches adults to use gender-neutral language.

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The handbook also discusses 'social power' and 'active allyship', and teaches facilitators how to help young participants identify and challenge social biases.

So, how much of the curriculum did the NBA and WNBA review before deciding to sponsor the program?

The NBA and WNBA have a longstanding relationship with Lean In

The NBA's 2022-2023 Social Impact Report stated that the WNBA has worked with Lean In for eight years, airing public service announcements throughout the playoffs to promote the value of girls and women in sports.

Those early campaigns focused on gender equality and encouraging men to support women. By 2024, the partnership included Lean In Girls, a program designed specifically for children.

That year, the leagues teamed up with WNBA star Aaliyah Boston for an ad campaign encouraging girls to defy stereotypes and embrace their "leadership superpowers."

On April 20, 2026, the NBA released a video describing Lean In Girls as a "free, school-ready" program sponsored by both leagues. Lean In commercials will also air during WNBA broadcasts.

The WNBA also teamed up with Flau'jae Johnson, and the Lean In website said Johnson and the league were proud to support the initiative.

Lean In says the free app is designed for girls aged 11 to 15 and can be used in schools and community organizations.

Lean In Girls includes guidance on gender identity, pronouns and social power

In 2023, OutKick obtained a Lean In Girls Facilitator's Handbook through Courage Is A Habit, a parent rights organization that previously reviewed the program.

The handbook describes Lean In Girls as a program for girls and young teens who "identify the girlhood experience." The program includes leadership activities including goal setting, self-confidence, and coping with failure. A section titled "Gender Inclusive" explains that some participants may be exploring their gender identity or feelings. I'm uncomfortable with the "girl" label.

"When greeting your group or referring to them as a whole, avoid calling them 'girls' or 'boys,'" the manual states.

Instead, facilitators are encouraged to use terms such as "everyone," "people," "leaders," and "team." The handbook also encourages participants to share their pronouns, although it cautions against making the exercise mandatory, suggesting that you replace their pronouns with fictional scenarios.

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Another section instructs facilitators to consider how people's identities affect their "social power." According to Lean In Girls, adults, rich people, and empowered people generally have more power than teenagers, people living in poverty, and people with disabilities.

The book also encourages facilitators to create a "courageous atmosphere" where youth can "confront injustice" and practice "active allyship."

During a February 2026 webinar hosted by the American School Counselor Association, Kelly Meredith, director of Lean In Girls, described an updated 15-session program with four parts. He said that Episode 3 will deal with overcoming prejudice and obstacles, while Episode 4 will focus on unity.

OutKick requested the current curriculum, including sections 3 and 4, to determine what material facilitators offer today. Lean In initially redirected OutKick to another email inbox. This is the organization of the material and reply to the following emails.

A California school district used Lean In Girls as a targeted intervention for high school students

Santa Clara Unified School District brought Lean In Girls to Buchser Middle School and considered expanding to four other middle schools, records obtained by OutKick show.

At the district's spring 2025 stake meeting, Buchser adviser Brenda Goldstein and assistant principal Gilbert Monteil introduced Lean In Girls as a "Tier 2 intervention," a designation for targeted support for students.

The school said eighth-grade girls struggle with social connections, self-confidence and negative social messages. Officials looked at academic performance, attendance and course records along with Panorama's weekly check-ins when assessing the need for the program.

According to the region's presentation, recruitment consisted of an application with essay questions and an interview. Panorama's academic data and enrollment history also factored into the hiring process, as did "diversity."

The school's stated goals included helping girls examine gender and cultural stereotypes, understand their identities, and recognize barriers to leadership.

The district later developed plans for five middle schools. One presentation proposed a "formal partnership with Lean In Girls as their first public school partner."

A planning document shows that several schools planned to use only parts 1 and 2 of the curriculum. The records do not explain why parts 3 and 4 were omitted or whether officials reviewed those parts.

The records confirm that Bokhusr implemented the program, but do not specify which courses the students received or whether the planned development took place.

Recruitment materials provided by the district promoted confidence building and leadership activities, including challenging prejudices and stereotypes. Records do not indicate whether parents were told about the facilitator's manual's guidance on gender identity, pronouns, and non-binary participants.

OutKick asked Santa Clara Unified officials which schools ended up implementing the program and whether they reviewed Episodes 3 and 4.

In an Oct. 12, 2026, district official, Mark Scheel, acknowledged the questions in an email and said he would try to answer them, noting that some staff were unavailable because classes were not held. OutKick provided the district's response deadline as a courtesy.

The district did not respond by the extended deadline.

The NBA and WNBA have not responded to questions about Lean In Girls

In July, OutKick reported that the WNBA selected Girls in the Game as one of the beneficiaries of its All-Star Game charity initiative. The organization, which the league sponsored as part of its effort to get girls involved in sports, said on its website that it was "moving beyond the binary. It welcomed 'girl' and gender-broad participants."