4 Ways to Safeguard Your Child from Radical Gender Ideology

When we find ourselves encountering education professionals who sincerely believe and defend concepts like Queer Theory and believe they have a moral obligation to teach those concepts to children for the good of society, it is long past time for parents and concerned citizens to act. Gender ideology is a dangerous force in education and our culture. Parents can take several important steps to safeguard our own children and our communities from this evil influence.

1. Parents need to be the most important person in their children’s lives.

Our right to direct the upbringing of our children is unquestioned. Our responsibility to our children is confirmed by our love for them. We need to make sure that we know our children’s hopes and dreams, their friends, their teachers, and those who influence them. When schools have policies that would seek to “affirm a gender identity” in children without the knowledge or consent of parents, we can protect our children — and ourselves — by being fully engaged in relationship with our children.

One of the common rejoinders to efforts to enact policies to protect children from secret social transition in schools actually does have a grain of truth in it. Gender activists will demagogue: “If you want to find out what gender your child is, just ask your child; the school can’t hide that from you.” We can see the arrogance and dishonesty behind such a comment, but it makes a point too — never let anyone know your child better than you do.

2. In the event of a gender identity crisis in your home, be careful to get the right help.

There are fewer resources for parents who do not wish to affirm their children in a gender delusion, but they are good resources. Desist, Detrans, and Detox by Maria Keffler is a wonderful book with advice from a mother and former public school guidance counselor. Be careful not to rely on the advice of “gender specialists.” It is more likely than not that advice from this perspective will “affirm” a sex change approach rather than explore the reasons for gender dysphoria and seek to integrate body and mind consistent with biological reality.

3. Engage your school system or state legislature.

If you wish to engage your school system or state legislature to protect the rights of parents and children, there are many efforts underway to use as guides. Groups like Family Research CouncilParents Defending Education, and Parental Rights Foundation are ready to help, with research, advice, and connections to other resources. Making sure to keep parents at the center of the process is key.

Virginia’s recently drafted model policy includes this useful definition: The phrase “transgender student” shall mean a public school student whose parent has requested in writing, due to their child’s persistent and sincere belief that his or her gender differs with his or her sex, that their child be so identified while at school. The Virginia draft is a reaffirmation of parental rights, keeping parents front and center.

4. Never doubt yourself when you stand for the truth of biological sex.

History is littered with examples of medical fads that have victimized people and cultures: lobotomy, eugenics, and recovered memories are just a few examples. The gender fever seems to be breaking. It will take parents and a public committed to truth spoken in love to protect our children and heal our culture.

We live in the greatest nation on earth, the beacon of hope for the world. Let’s make America’s school systems as exceptional as our nation. Our children, entrusted to us by God, deserve our very best.

AUTHOR

Meg Kilgannon

Meg Kilgannon is Senior Fellow for Education Studies at Family Research Council.

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EDITORS NOTE: This Washington Stand column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved. The Washington Stand is Family Research Council’s outlet for news and commentary from a biblical worldview. The Washington Stand is based in Washington, D.C. and is published by FRC, whose mission is to advance faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview. We invite you to stand with us by partnering with FRC.

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