Gov. Youngkin Protects Virginia Children

Virginia children are safer now than they were last week. That’s the reality of new policies from Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin protecting children from transgender activism, especially in the context of public education. Other states should pay attention to these policies – and ideally, pass similar laws or regulations of their own.

Gov. Youngkin is undoing the damage of his predecessor, Gov. Ralph Northam. The Northam administration essentially gutted parents’ rights to have a say in their child’s medical care, especially in cases where school officials try to help children change gender. The Northam approach made it easier for children to obtain sex-change counseling and ultimately treatments, which lead to a lifetime of mental and physical health challenges.

Not anymore. Gov. Youngkin’s policies require schools to tell parents if their children are experiencing gender-related issues. Schools are prohibited from concealing information from parents, and before a child can use different pronouns, parents must consent. While the policies aren’t perfect, they represent a giant leap in the right direction.

Practically, these policies will stop radical activists from pushing children – whose minds aren’t fully developed – down a dangerous road of sex-change drugs and surgeries. And the empowerment of parents is especially praiseworthy. Parents should be involved in decisions about their children, especially when it comes to medical care. No one should deny them their rights or keep them in the dark.

Virginia’s move comes as a growing number of states enact policies to protect children from invasive and irreversible sex-change treatments. More and more European countries are also rolling back transgender treatments, recognizing that they do more harm than good. Kudos to Gov. Glenn Youngkin for putting common sense and science ahead of transgender ideology.