Last week, President Biden announced he would sign an executive order to advance “LGBTQI+ Equality During Pride Month.”
Parts of the order are cause for concern, such as the following:
- “Addressing discriminatory legislative attacks against LGBTQI+ children and families, directing key agencies to protect families and children;
- Preventing so-called “conversion therapy” with a historic initiative to protect children from the harmful practice;
- Safeguarding health care, and programs designed to prevent youth suicide;
- Supporting LGBTQI+ children and families by launching a new initiative to protect foster youth, prevent homelessness, and improve access to federal programs; and
- Taking new, additional steps to advance LGBTQI+ equality.”
Much of the legislation is vague and lacking critical definitions. The Biden administration is clearly using euphemisms to sugarcoat its true agenda, but it’s not difficult to infer what these action points really mean.
“Addressing discriminatory legislative attacks” most likely means opposing, blocking, or undermining state laws that prohibit classroom instruction about sexually explicit material or lessons on gender identity for children without parental consent. Children are being groomed and indoctrinated with radical gender ideology in the classroom, and they desperately need legislative protection. Unfortunately, the Biden administration will likely cater to the liberal mob at the expense of vulnerable children.
This item also likely includes laws that protect women’s sports. The Wisconsin state legislature has passed vital bills that would ban biological men from unfairly competing against women. These bills were never given to the governor this session, but the authors are set to bring them back next session. Wisconsin should be able to pass these laws with a different governor – and we have that chance come November 2022 – but with Biden’s new order, Wisconsin could face threats from the federal level for doing so.
Preventing “conversion therapy” is also concerning, as it’s likely that the Biden administration is referring to faith-based counselors who provide therapy to clients who want to avoid same-sex attraction and deal appropriately with gender confusion. One counselor in the state of Washington was banned from treating clients with a faith-based approach to same-sex attraction. As our sister organization, the Family Policy Institute of Washington, explains:
“Brian Tingley is a Marriage and Family Therapist in Tacoma, Washington, and works with adults, couples, and children on a variety of topics from “gender identity” struggles to depression to marriage counseling and more. His practice employs techniques that are no different than those used by any other counselor: he listens to clients, supports them in their goals, and offers advice based on his training and knowledge.
However, many of Brian’s clients are referred to him by local churches, leading to a shared faith and belief system between him and many of his clients…The law specifically prevents conversations between counselors and clients who desire to become comfortable with their biological sex and are attempting to change certain sexual behaviors or practices. This includes clients who seek out counselors like Brian because their goal is to become realigned with their faith and have their actions and desires match the teachings of that faith.”
Under President Biden’s new executive order, this could easily happen in Wisconsin and throughout the country.
“Safeguarding health care” sounds harmless and even admirable, but it likely translates into removing freedom of conscience protections from healthcare providers who object to providing certain services for religious reasons and pushing taxpayer-funded transgender “care.”
Lastly, the White House stated that “the President’s Order charges HHS to work with states to promote expanded access to gender-affirming care.” This includes cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers, and mutilation surgeries, all of which cause irreparable harm to children. In fact, a recent study revealed that increased access to these harmful “therapies” actually leads to increased rates of youth suicide. In other words, the president is enabling child abuse.
The White House FACT SHEET announcing this EO says Biden is taking this action “to stand up to the bullies targeting LGBTQI+ people.” The “bullies” referenced here are people like you and us who believe children must be protected from this dangerous agenda and religious freedom must be respected and preserved.
If Biden moves forward with this executive order as we think he will, the religious freedom, free speech rights, and safety of children are all in danger.
Hopefully, the American people refuse to watch their rights be stripped at the behest of a woke agenda and respond to these unconstitutional measures with lawsuits. And here in Wisconsin, we have the opportunity to make serious changes for the trajectory of the Badger State this fall at the ballot box.
