The Patriot Post® · Child Protection Legislation
It’s no secret that the Biden administration has taken up the transgender flag in the culture war. Through the HHS Office of Population Affairs, Team Biden put out an advisory in March that states it is fully supportive of using the gamut of “gender-affirming care” for minors.
This inappropriately named treatment plan — better named gender-denying care— would include social transition, cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers, and even “gender-affirming” surgery for minors. Even the most minor of these — socially transitioning — has lasting effects and makes it very difficult if a child changes his or her mind. The major interventions of surgery physically alter or destroy healthy body parts in order to “affirm” that gender dysphoric child’s delusion and identity crisis. This state-approved body mutilation exploits the vulnerability of children who don’t have a fully developed pre-frontal cortex.
Two states, however, have been willing to take a stand against this state-sanctioned horror: Florida and Tennessee.
Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo has long been fighting against the faddish treatment endorsed by the federal government for kids declaring that they are transgender. Keep in mind, children who actually have gender dysphoria are exceedingly rare. The phenomenon we are seeing now is called “rapid onset” gender dysphoria and is largely a social contagion). The Florida Board of Medicine and the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine recently voted to approve a rule that bans this destructive “gender-affirming care” for minors.
Dr. Ladapo was appreciative of the hard work and honesty of these two Florida medical boards, saying: “Today’s vote from the Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine will protect our children from irreversible surgeries and highly experimental treatments. I appreciate the integrity of the Boards for ruling in the best interest of children in Florida despite facing tremendous pressure to permit these unproven and risky treatments. Children deserve to learn how to navigate this world without harmful pressure, and Florida will continue to fight for kids to be kids.”
The movement in Tennessee, spearheaded by political pundit and activist Matt Walsh, went into hyperdrive when Walsh uncovered that Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) was providing “gender-affirming” treatment for minors. When it was uncovered, VUMC quickly tried to cover its tracks, but it was already exposed. This motivated the Tennessee legislature to introduce a bill that would ban “gender transitions” for minors.
In their fervor to protect children, Tennessee Republicans have also introduced Senate Bill 3, which would ban drag shows where children are present. State Senator Jack Johnson said in a statement that SB 3 is to protect our children’s innocence: “There are certain performances, movies and places that are inappropriate for children. Just as current law prohibits strip clubs from admitting children, this legislation would also prohibit sexually suggestive drag shows from being performed on public property, or on any non-age-restricted private property where a minor could be present.”
Parents of Florida and Tennessee can take a relieved breath. Their legislators and physicians are taking a stand to protect their children. These states’ boldness will hopefully inspire other states to take a child-protective stand.