Attacks on parental rights, especially when it applies to the parents of children who may believe they are transgender, continue to heat up in California. As Madeline covered, California lawmakers recently passed legislation that would require judges in child custody legal battles to consider whether a parent has “affirmed” their child’s belief that they may be “transgender.” Parental rights is also a major priority for presidential candidates in the Republican primary, including for Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina.
Scott referred to the bill in one word, but nevertheless a powerful one, when he called it “evil” in a statement for Fox News. “The radical Left is on a mission to make parents less important. They think your kids belong to them,” he added in his statement. “I will fight back, put parents back in charge, and protect the next generation of children from this absurdity.”
The presidential candidate also doubled down on how the bill is “evil” during his Monday appearance on Fox News’ “America Reports,” also calling it “unacceptable” and “un-American.”
“That is evil personified in the hands of those legislators that did something that we've never seen in American history. Literally taking away kids from their parents, because the state of California believes that if you don't affirm the gender decisions of your child, it's abuse. That is evil,” Scott told co-host Sandra Smith.
He also made the case for parental rights in his response. “We should protect parents. If we want to protect kids, we have to empower parents. And as President of the United States, one of the things I would roll out immediately is a parent's bill of rights. We are going to make sure that we empower parents to be the decision maker for their juvenile kids and not the state of California, not a general assembly,” the candidate continued.
Scott still had more condemnation for the California bill from there, as he added “I can't think of anything more unacceptable and more un-American than a state saying, if you don't actually affirm your child's gender decisions, we'll take your kids because they know how to raise your kids better than you do. That's offensive. It's dangerous, and it's evil. We have to stand as a nation against that vile behavior from the state assembly in California.”
The radical Left in California thinks they know how to raise the next generation better than parents do.
— Tim Scott (@votetimscott) September 11, 2023
It’s evil, it’s dangerous, and I can't think of anything more un-American.pic.twitter.com/LrKF6CS1gd
The Washington Examiner recently put out a rundown on A.B. 957 and several other bills that the legislature passed that have to do with so-called “transgender rights” and how they are being used to usurp parental rights. This bill in question actually deems it “child abuse” for a parent to disagree with their child’s gender identity.
“This bill, for purposes of this provision, would include a parent’s affirmation of the child’s gender identity or gender expression as part of the health, safety, and welfare of the child,” the bill’s text reads in the “Legislative Counsel’s Digest” section.
As the bill also reads in part:
SECTION 1. Section 3011 of the Family Code is amended to read:
3011. (a) In making a determination of the best interests of the child in a proceeding described in Section 3021, the court shall, among any other factors it finds relevant and consistent with Section 3020, consider all of the following:
(1) (A) The health, safety, and welfare of the child.
(B) As used in this paragraph, the health, safety, and welfare of the child includes, among other comprehensive factors, a parent’s affirmation of the child’s gender identity or gender expression. Affirmation includes a range of actions and will be unique for each child, but in every case must promote the child’s overall health and well-being.
…
(4) (A) The habitual or continual illegal use of controlled substances or the habitual or continual abuse of alcohol or prescribed controlled substances by either parent…
As one can see from the relevant section, whether or not a parent has an “affirmation” for their child’s gender identity is in the same category as whether or not a parent has abused controlled substances, such as alcohol, when it comes to what judges are required to consider.
Scott also last month put out the “Empower Parents Plan,” as mentioned in the Fox News report including his statement.
“Teachers' unions, Big Tech, and Joe Biden are on a mission to make parents less important.” Scott said at the time of the roll out. “I have a bold agenda to support and empower parents — from the classroom to the locker room to the smartphone. We must empower parents and give them a choice, so that every child has a chance.”
The plan includes priorities such as “Family First Culture: Defend Our Children,” “Education: Empowered Parents,” and “Stop Big Tech: Protect Children Online.”