It’s easy to get discouraged nowadays. Looking at the current political environment might lead one to believe that there isn’t much worth celebrating – especially when it comes to the fight over children. But over the past year, I have seen multiple reasons to be optimistic.
To put it simply, people are fighting, and they are fighting hard. The backlash against the movement to “trans” children has been considerable. Unlike other culture war issues, conservatives and libertarians have not shown any signs of slowing down. If anything, they are ramping up attacks against those who would seek to attack kids through gender ideology.
Let’s start with Chino Valley Unified School District in California. The State Superintendent, Tony Thurmond, was escorted out of a recent school board meeting by police after protesting a policy that required informing parents about a child’s desire to change genders.
The policy passed despite Thurmond’s objections, and he warned that it could jeopardize student safety in certain households. School board president Sonja Shaw accused Thurmond of supporting an agenda that “perverts children” and refused to let him respond. The district has also been standing up to California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s efforts to bully them into providing sexually inappropriate material to children in K-12 classrooms and school libraries.
There are some promising signs also coming from the medical industry, which progressives say supports their claims that “gender-affirming care” is beneficial for children. Medical doctors and researchers worldwide criticized the Endocrine Society’s assertions that cross-sex medical treatments benefit youth.
The doctors signed an open letter disputing the Endocrine Society’s assertion that such interventions improve mental health and reduce suicide risk for transgender patients. The doctors argued that existing evidence supporting hormonal interventions for minors is of low certainty and highlighted risks associated with cross-sex procedures, urging medical societies to align their recommendations with stronger evidence.
This was a welcome development as progressives continually sell the idea of prescribing puberty blockers and surgical treatments for children by claiming the entire medical industry is on board with the idea. The letter from other medical leaders repudiating the idea was published in the Wall Street Journal, a major publication. If we get more leaders like this speaking out, it will make it much harder for the left to gaslight the American public.
Lastly, we have the detransitioners, individuals who regret their gender transitions and who are taking legal action against doctors and medical facilities, alleging inadequate informed consent and rushed treatments. Cases of Prisha Mosley, Chloe Cole, and Kayla Lovdahl are examples where these individuals claim they were not fully informed about the consequences of their medical treatments. The lawsuits by detransitioners shed light on the flaws in the “gender-affirming care” system and advocate for better protection and ethical practices when treating children with gender dysphoria.
The battle over so-called gender-affirming care for minor children has been a contentious issue, with passionate arguments on both sides. However, those who oppose the medical transition of children do have reasons to be optimistic as positive signs emerge in the fight to protect kids.
While there is reason to be optimistic, the battle to protect children from the controversial ideology of gender-affirming care is far from over. Leftist activists and proponents of this approach continue to seek ways to push their agenda on children, disregarding the potential consequences and parental rights.
As advocates for children’s well-being, it is crucial to remain vigilant and proactive in countering these efforts. Empowering parents with the right to be involved in their child’s medical decisions and promoting a balanced and evidence-based approach in the medical community is essential to ensure the safety and well-being of our children.
The battle to protect children from gender-affirming care has seen significant progress with encouraging pushback from school districts, challenges from medical experts, and the courage of victims speaking out and seeking justice. While there is optimism in these positive signs, it is crucial to stay resolute in safeguarding the rights and well-being of our children. Continued vigilance and open dialogue are necessary to ensure that children receive appropriate care that respects their unique needs and rights while safeguarding them from potentially harmful and irreversible medical interventions.
