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From the VA House Democratic Caucus:
House Democratic Caucus Calls Out MAGA Republican Legislation for What It Is: A Transphobic, Divisive Attack On Our Kids
Democratic Delegates Give Powerful Floor Speeches and Remind Republicans of Whats At Stake
RICHMOND, VA Today, Virginia House Democrats responded to the House Republican legislation aimed at forcibly outing transgender students. This legislation is just the latest example of a coordinated attack against transgender kids across our country. Virginias students are clear: they are terrified and do not support legislation aimed at outing transgender students.
Forcing school principals or staff to out students who thought they were in a trusting environment to express themselves and their identity, regardless of the childs physical safety and mental well-being at home, is the opposite of the work that should be conducted in the Virginia General Assembly, said Delegate Danica Roem. This legislation would make Virginia a less inclusive place for trans youth and put skilled and caring school teachers and counselors in a compromising situation, forcing them to choose their jobs over a childs wellbeing.
Today, Delegate Dawn Adams also spoke against the bill, and said, I get that raising kids [today] has got to be so much harder [than when I was a child]. But being a kids got to be brutal. Theres no safe space
no quiet space thats not attached to some kind of social media. And if youre struggling and even going to a counselor isnt safe, where do you go? How do you get help? How do you sort things out for yourself? I dont believe that anyone is doing these things because they hate children; I dont believe that at all. But this is such bad policy, and it affects you not just in your childhood. It affects you as long as it takes for you to heal.
House Republicans should be ashamed that theyre attacking Virginia kids, said House Democratic Leader Don Scott. Lets be clear about what laws like this will do: out students to their parents before they feel safe to do so. I have had enough of the MAGA Caucus using our children as political pawns in their culture wars. Not only are bills like this harmful for kids across the Commonwealth, but it proves Republicans cant be trusted and are only focused on culture wars.
HB 2432 would not only make Virginia a less welcoming place for LGBTQ+ youth, said Caucus Chair Charniele Herring, but it puts skilled and caring school teachers and counselors in a compromising situation, forcing them to choose their jobs over a childs wellbeing.
Linked here is Delegate Roems powerful floor speech, in which she reminded the Republican Caucus of their history of anti-trans legislation and the role its played in recent elections, including her own. This comes on the heels of an earlier floor debate Delegate Roem led in response to HB1387, which would subject all Virginia students to invasive and onerous physical exams if they wanted to play sports.
Jamie Nolan,Co-Executive Director of Side by Side gave the following statement: Supportive communities are critical for LGBTQ+ youth. We know that access to safe and affirming spaces in and out of school are life saving measures. Side by Side seeks to create these supports because they do not exist for every young person, either at home, school, or in other parts of their lives. The forced outing of a young person who does not have access to a supportive home can create a toxic environment, at times including a loss of financial support and houselessness. This bill would be detrimental to the education, health, and wellbeing of Virginias LGBTQ+ youth.
https://bluevirginia.us/2023/02/va-house-democratic-caucus-calls-out-maga-republican-legislation-for-what-it-is-a-transphobic-divisive-attack-on-our-kids
Biophilic
(3,665 posts)atreides1
(16,079 posts)Parental rights laws are more about a child being property...then about what a child learns in school!!!
lindysalsagal
(20,692 posts)That's why I am against "home schooling." Kids need other kids and exposure to the whole community, and they need their own agency within the protected environment. Content be damned.