State Treasurer Erick Russell recently penned an op-ed in the Hartford Courant calling out Reps. Mark Anderson of Granby, Anne Dauphinais of Killingly, Joe Hoxha of Bristol, Brian Lanoue of Griswold and Donna Veach of Southington for supporting proposed legislation “targeting” transgender children—bills that call for parental notification and maintaining same-sex sports participation. Russell stated, “These policies hurt kids. It’s up to all of us to prove to those pushing the bills …that doing so is also harmful to their own political futures.”
His threats are out of place for a state official and his facts regarding suicide are unproven. The youth of today are facing stress and social pressure of a magnitude unknown to previous generations—online bullying, harassment and shaming.
Notifying parents when their children are questioning their gender or undergoing medical treatment is a complex issue. Here are some reasons why parents should be notified:
Informed support: Parents can provide emotional, psychological and medical support for their children during a potentially challenging time.
Legal and ethical considerations: In many places, legal and ethical guidelines require parental involvement in medical decisions for minors.
Medical history: Parents can provide important medical history and information to healthcare professionals to ensure safe and effective treatment.
Mental health: Keeping parents informed can help address mental health concerns and ensure proper counseling and therapy for both the child and family.
Consent: Parents’ consent may be legally necessary for medical procedures and treatments, especially for minors, state statutes notwithstanding.
Since we were all young, we were taught that differences exist between males and females. Until the age of 8 or 9, boys and girls are about equal in physical abilities. After that, the divergence is notable. As an example, the US Women’s National Soccer Team was defeated by a team of 15-year-old males. Carli Lloyd: “They should beat us. Bigger, stronger, faster! Boys always gave us a run for our money! It was great prep.”
Title IX, the most used name for federal civil rights law in the United States, was enacted in 1972. It prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or any other education program that receives funding from the federal government. Because there are only two genders, allowing males to participate in female designated sports violates the provision of Title IX.
It is not the responsibility of the government to determine what is best for our children unless unlawful acts are being committed against them.