Democrat lawmakers in California have proposed new legislation that would punish parents for misgendering their own children.
The new bill was proposed by Assemblymember Lori Wilson and State Senator Scott Wiener, both Democrats.
Wiener has previously made headlines for his roles in pushing controversial legislations that often involve children.
Last year, Wiener suggested “offering Drag Queen 101 as part of the K-12 curriculum.”
He also introduced a bill that grants judicial leniency to certain pedophiles.
The Democrat state senator was accused of staging a hate-crime hoax.
The new Democrat bill, AB957, amends the state Family Code addressing the “health, safety, and welfare of the child” in every household.
If passed, the law could result in children being removed from their parents’ home if family members are deemed “anti-LGBTQ+,” as the Daily Mail notes.
The bill was originally passed on May 3 but was amended on June 3 by Weiner.
It will need to pass again with revisions.
It is expected to pass, however.
Under the code, courts would be given complete authority to remove children from their homes if their parents refuse to affirm their gender.
It would also require schools, churches, and other organizations to follow suit or face repercussions for “impacting the health, safety, and welfare of [a] child.”
Individuals and organizations who refuse or do not acknowledge a child’s “gender identity” could potentially face abuse charges.
However, a spokesperson for Rep. Wilson’s office said the bill only applies to family law and not criminal law.
The revisions have already been slammed by those who say the state should not step into private residences to monitor each child’s gender and their parents’ response.
Nicole Peterson, the founder of Facts Law Truth Justice, told the Daily Signal that the law is “horrifying” and troublesome for parents everywhere.
“If a parent or guardian is unwilling or simply not ready to affirm their 7-year-old’s new identity — as they transition from Spongebob to Batman to Dora the Explorer — they can be found guilty of child abuse under AB-957 if it passes into law,” she said.
“This is a horrifying bill for children, and for parents and guardians not just in California, but across the country.”
Here, California state assembly member Wilson explains her reasoning behind considering in a state bill that a parent’s lack of affirmation of a child’s gender identity could factor into losing a custody battle. pic.twitter.com/RZjH7SRuHv
— Benjamin Ryan (@benryanwriter) June 10, 2023
Peterson suggested that California’s Democrat Governor Gavin Newsom would bring the law to every state if he runs for U.S. President in 2028.
In a statement to the Washington Free Beacon, San Francisco-based attorney Erin Friday said she thinks the new revisions could escalate to more laws that push such boundaries.
“It’s not a giant leap–it’s a tiny step to get there,” said Friday.
“We know exactly where they are going with it.
“I didn’t think the bill could get worse, but it got worse.”
As the Mail notes, the language of the revisions and how they would be enforced is vague and ambiguous.
It doesn’t mention the age range of the children that this law could apply to.
It also doesn’t distinguish between “affirming” gender and putting a child through “sex-change” surgeries or other irreversible procedures.
Instead, it asks judges to consider parents’ rejection or non-affirmation of their child’s gender.
Meanwhile, Wiener is also pushing a bill that would require foster parents to affirm the identity of children who identify as transgender.
