Proposed California bill would brand parents 'abusive' if they refuse to affirm their child's gender
Parents could lose custody of their child if they do not affirm their gender
State Rep. Lori Wilson said affirming a child's gender is 'in their best interest
A proposed amendment to a bill in California would classify parents who refuse to affirm their child's gender as abusive and could result in revoked custody.
AB957, proposed by Democratic Assemblymember Lori Wilson and state Senator Scott Wiener, amends the state Family Code which addresses the 'health, safety, and welfare of the child' in every household.
If passed, the law could see children pulled from their parents' home if their family members have anti-LGBTQ+ ideals.
Rep. Wilson - who has a transgender son - said during a recent meeting that she believes parents supporting their child's gender is in the 'best interests' of the kid.
'We should be affirming our children in every possible way,' she said of the proposed last-minute addition to the Family Code bill.
A proposed amendment to a bill in California would classify parents who refuse to affirm their child's gender as abusive and could result in revoked custody
AB957 was proposed by Democratic Assembly member Lori Wilson (left) and state Senator Scott Wiener (right) and amends the state Family Code
The bill originally passed in the California Assembly on May 3 but was amended on June 6 by state Sen. Wiener. It will need to pass again with the revisions.
Under the revision to the Family Code, courts would be given complete authority to remove children from their homes if their parents do not affirm their gender.
The change would also make it so that schools, churches, and other organizations would need to affirm the gender identity of a child or face repercussions.
This is because the revisions would change the definition of what is considered to impact the 'health, safety, and welfare of [a] child.'
Individuals and organizations who refuse or do not acknowledge a child's gender identity could potentially face abuse charges, however, a spokesperson for Rep. Wilson's office said the bill only applies to family law and not criminal law.
The revisions have already been slammed by those who say the state should not step into private residences to monitor each child's gender and their parents' response.
Nicole Peterson, founder of Facts Law Truth Justice, told the Daily Signal that the law is 'horrifying' and troublesome for parents everywhere.
'If a parent or guardian is unwilling or simply not ready to affirm their 7-year-old's new identity — as they transition from Spongebob to Batman to Dora the Explorer — they can be found guilty of child abuse under AB-957 if it passes into law,' she said.
Rep. Wilson - who has a transgender son - said during a recent meeting that she believes parents supporting their child's gender is in the 'best interests' of the kid
Here, California state assembly member Wilson explains her reasoning behind considering in a state bill that a parent’s lack of affirmation of a child’s gender identity could factor into losing a custody battle. pic.twitter.com/RZjH7SRuHv — Benjamin Ryan (@benryanwriter) June 10, 2023
'This is a horrifying bill for children, and for parents and guardians not just in California, but across the country,' Peterson continued.
She went on to mention that should California Governor Gavin Newsom run in the 2028 presidential election, she believes he would bring this law to every state.
San Francisco lawyer Erin Friday told the Washington Free Beacon said she believes AB957's revisions could escalate to more boundary pushing laws.
'It's not a giant leap–it's a tiny step to get there,' said Friday.
'We know exactly where they are going with it. I didn't think the bill could get worse, but it got worse,' she continued, saying she worries
The language of the revisions is ambiguous and does not go into the specifics of how the law would be enforced and in what situations.
It also does not mention the age range for children that this could fall upon or make a distinction between 'affirming' and 'sex-change.'
The law would ask judges to consider parents' rejection or non-affirmation of their child's gender paramount to physical abuse or neglect.
The revised AB957 comes as Wiener is also advancing a bill that would require foster parents to 'affirm' the identity of children who identify as transgender.
Wiener previously made headlines for sponsoring a bill that would allow children to come from out of state to obtain sex change procedures in California.
The revised AB957 comes as Wiener (pictured center) is also advancing a bill that would require foster parents to 'affirm' the identity of children who identify as transgender
'We believe that no one should be prosecuted or persecuted for getting the care they need — including gender-affirming care,' Governor Gavin Newsom said in 2022
The 2022 bill received support from Gov. Newsom who applauded California's devotion to 'equality and acceptance.'
'We believe that no one should be prosecuted or persecuted for getting the care they need — including gender-affirming care,' Newsom said in 2022.
'Parents know what’s best for their kids, and they should be able to make decisions around the health of their children without fear. We must take a stand for parental choice,' he continued in a statement.
Newsom has not commented on the new revisions to the Family Code.
AB957 will have a hearing in the State Senate on June 13.
Source: Daily Mail
