Gender Identity

“President Biden has long promised that he would be an advocate for the LGBTQ community should he be elected president. Now, just hours into his presidential term, Mr. Biden’s White House website allows users to choose their pronouns, a change that drew swift praise from advocates. As part of the website revamp that occurs during presidential transitions, the White House changed its contact form. The form now allows individuals to select from the following list: she/her, he/him, they/them, other, or prefer not to share. Those who select other also have the option to write-in what pronouns they use. People can also choose which prefix they use: Mr., Ms., Mrs., Dr., Mx., other, or none.” (CBS News, “Biden administration allows users to choose their pronouns on remastered website”, January 20, 2021)

In August, the department rolled out new guidelines titled, ‘Updated Department Guidance Regarding Transgender Employees in the Workplace’ and mandates that all employees and applicants should be addressed ‘by the name, pronouns, and honorific (Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss, Mx., etc.) that they themselves use in everyday interactions, and as they choose to communicate to their supervisor/manager and colleagues.’ ‘Continued intentional use of an incorrect name, pronoun, and/or honorific – also known as misgendering – could, depending on its severity and pervasiveness, contribute to a hostile work environment allegation, and constitute misconduct subject to disciplinary action, up to and including separation or removal,’ the guideline states.” (“GOP Sen. Ted Budd demands State Department roll back requirement for employees to use preferred pronouns” Fox News, October 23, 2023)

“The EEOC’s newly proposed guidance similarly includes ‘Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity’ as the basis for prohibited ‘sex-based discrimination’ under Title VII and asserts that ‘sex-based harassment includes harassment on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, including how that identity is expressed.’ ‘Harassment,’ according to this guidance, includes epithets and physical assault as well as ‘intentional and repeated use of a name or pronoun inconsistent with the individual’s gender identity (misgendering).’ Also included as a form of harassment is ‘the denial of access to a bathroom or other sex-segregated facility consistent with the individual’s gender identity.'”  (“The EEOC is trying to make ‘misgendering’ a thought-crime” The Hill, October 8, 2023)

“‘All employees should be addressed [by] the names and pronouns they use to describe themselves,’ an HHS email sent to employees and shared with CNA read. The mandate is part of the department’s new Gender Identity and Non-Discrimination Guidance, which was established to outline ’employee rights and protections related to gender identity,’ according to the email.” (“Biden Health and Human Services Imposes Trans Pronoun Mandate on Employees” National Catholic Register, October 12, 2023)

“An internal U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) memo obtained by the Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project and shared with Fox News Digital prohibits agents from using ‘he, him, she, her’ pronouns when initially interacting with members of the public. ‘DO NOT use ‘he, him, she, her’ pronouns until you have more information about, or provided by, the individual,’ reads the memo obtained by Heritage via Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).” (“CBP memo orders agents not to misgender ‘members of the public”’ Fox News, November 22, 2023)

“The transgender policy deployed by Interior leadership in September urges employees to ‘use gender-neutral language in broad communications to avoid assumptions about gender identity.’ Examples of ‘pronouns,’ according to the policy, are ‘they, them, theirs, ze/hir/hirs, ze/zir/zirs, xe/xem/xyrs.’ Bathroom use is up to personal discretion, it says, and those who refuse to abide by departmental policies are warned of retribution for ‘unlawful discrimination.’ ‘Repeated, intentional refusal to use the employee’s affirming name/gender/pronouns, and/or repeated reference to the employee’s dead name/gender/pronouns by supervisors/managers, or coworkers is contrary to the goal of treating all employees with dignity and respect,’ the policy states. ‘Such intentional conduct could constitute unlawful discrimination.'” (“Interior Department Transgender Policy Threatens Employees Who Won’t Play Along With Fake Pronouns”, The Federalist, December 21, 2023)

“The USDA issued a May 12, 2022, memo stating how it planned to comply with a Biden executive order issued on Jan. 30, 2021, to prevent discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation..The May 2022 memo on Biden’s executive action also called for developing ‘gender-inclusive language in agency internal and external communications,’ to include ‘the proactive use of pronouns in the workplace.’ It also included a plan to ‘update USDA Style guide for email signatures and business cards to include and encourage pronoun use.'”  (“EXCLUSIVE: Biden Admin Adds LGBTQ Strings to Foreign Agriculture Grants” Daily Signal, January 9, 2024)

“The Federal Reserve conducted diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings in which staff members learned that ‘correct pronoun usage is a civil right’ and were told to acknowledge their ‘white privilege,’ documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show. The Fed held at least four DEI training sessions in the spring and summer of 2021, the documents reveal. During the training sessions, staffers learned to use ‘inclusive language,’ like ‘Latinx,’ and were shown an illustration of a transgender gingerbread man that could have a woman’s brain and male reproductive organs. Staffers were also told to refer to Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell as ‘chair,’ an example of ‘gender-inclusive language.'” (“Federal Reserve Staff Underwent DEI Training Amid Rising Inflation, Documents Show”, Washington Free Beacon, January 10, 2024)

On April 30, 2024, the Biden-Harris administration implemented a new rule to use the foster care system to advance the radical LGBT agenda. This rule lays the groundwork to seriously undermine parental rights and religious liberty.

Background

In 2016, the Obama’s Health and Human Services (HHS) provided a five year $10 million grant to researchers at the University of Maryland to establish a center to support LGBT children in foster care. The researchers went on to work with child welfare agencies to develop strategies to ensure “affirming” placement of LGBT youth. As part of the grant, the researchers developed the National Quality Improvement Center on Tailored Services, Placement Stability and Permanency for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Two-Spirit Children and Youth in Foster Care (QIC-LGBTQ2S).

To implement this program, the researchers turned to agencies in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Prince George’s County, Maryland, and the state of Michigan. Of these four locations, Cuyahoga County would serve as a key linchpin in crafting the Biden-Harris administration’s foster care rule.

Programs

Cuyahoga County implemented the “AFFIRM.ME” model. This included four interventions: “Safe Identification Initiative,” “Youth Acceptance Project,” “Chosen Affirming Family Finding,” and “AFFIRM Caregiver.”

These programs would provide the foundation of the Biden-Harris administration’s foster care rule.

“Safe Identification Initiative“

This intervention requires all children over the age of 13 to participate in a conversation with their caseworkers about their sexual orientation and gender identity and expression (SOGIE). In some instances, children as young as three-years-old discussed their SOGIE status with caseworkers.

During the course of these conversations children were asked pointed questions. “Do you have crushes on boys, girls or other kinds of people?” and do you “feel more like a boy or more like a girl, some other gender or maybe somewhere in between?” were the types of questions that were put to the children.

“Youth Acceptance Project“

The goal of this intervention is to help parents and caregivers of children already in the system or at risk of entering the system to become affirming of their children’s SOGIE status. It specifically targets parents and caregivers who do not allow their children to wear hairstyles and clothing of the opposite sex or fail to use “preferred pronouns.”

The Youth Acceptance Project has already been implemented in California, New York, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and Ohio.

“Chosen Affirming Family Finding“

This intervention aims to place LGBT youths with people who “affirm” their SOGIE status. While this may mean placing the youth with an “enlightened” relative who supports the LGBT creed, the placement does not have to be blood kin. Frequently teachers and LGBT activists known to the child (often the person that encouraged him to embrace the rainbow cult) are given custody of the child simply because they are more “affirming.”

“AFFIRM Caregiver“

This intervention attempts to increase the number of “affirming” homes available to LGBT youth. Potential foster parents must take a test designed to ascertain their ability to create a “safe space,” while another form asks how strongly they would support behaviors associated with different gender identities. Additionally, they are asked if they would “display pro-LGBTQ+ symbols” at home or allow their foster child to bring a “same-gender significant other to family events and celebrations.” These questionnaires trample all over the parents’ religious liberty rights and weed out those that are not “affirming” enough.

Rule Making Process

Drawing on the “research” from the Obama administration’s grant, the Biden-Harris HHS was able to create its new rule regarding affirming homes for foster children. In fact, Julie Kruse, a senior adviser at HHS, had closely monitored the work of the agencies that received funding through the grant. Of particular interest was Cuyahoga County, and Kruse had several meetings with people at that agency. For one of these meetings the Cuyahoga County team put on a presentation explaining why its program was “a promising model for replication.”

To ensure support for this radical rule, the Biden administration turned to other activists for input. One of these activists was Alex Roque, who runs the Ali Forney Center catering to homeless LGBT youth in New York. During a webinar hosted by HHS, Roque declared that “transphobia is child abuse.” Roque went on to liken denying a child’s SOGIE status to denying them food and access to school.

Another LGBT agency that provided insight for developing the rule was Family Builders. In its public comment, Family Builders argued that offering religious exemptions was a granting a “license to discriminate and to do harm.”

In addition to relying on these “experts” for the development of the rule, the Biden administration also promotes their work in its implementation. The rule requires that to become a “designated placement” for LGBT youth, foster parents must “be trained with appropriate knowledge and skills to provide for the needs of the child related to the child’s self-identified sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.” Although the rule does not specify what trainings are to be used, the website for the Administration of Children and Families Children’s Bureau (part of HHS) directs people to training resources developed by many of these same experts that were funded through the QIC-LBTQ2S.

Future Implications

Ultimately this rule lays the foundation for declaring a parent’s lack of “affirmation” as a form of child abuse. This would then justify taking children away from their parents and denying Catholics and other faithful Americans from serving as foster parents.

In Prince George’s County, Maryland, parents lost custody of their son, who has autism, after staff at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC, told them he was transgender. This came as a surprise to the Christian family as the son had never displayed any transgender tendencies before his stay in the hospital. Unsurprisingly, one of the boy’s councilors was an LGBT activist. The hospital forced the parents to jump through multiple hoops to regain custody of their son compelling them to take the matter to court. According to the parents’ lawsuit, hospital officials told them to “remove passages from their Bibles that affirm traditional sexual values” and refused to release their son until “they renounced their lifetime faith.”

In Montana, a family lost custody of their daughter after a stay in a local hospital. The girl informed the hospital that she believed she was a boy and insisted on being called “Leo.” Although Montana prohibits transgender procedures for minors, hospital staff informed the parents that “social transitioning” was a “grey area” and that was the best course for their daughter. When they refused to comply, Department of Children and Family Services (CFS) and hospital staff berated the parents. Within hours of being assured their daughter would be transferred to a comprehensive care facility in Montana, the girl was sent to a facility in Wyoming, which did not have the same safeguards in place to protect minors from gender affirming care. After her stay in Wyoming, CFS put the girl in a group home. Although her parents tried to regain custody, the girl remained in temporary legal custody of CFS until the girl’s biological mother, who has a history of physically harming children, was given custody.

In California, a mother lost custody of her daughter after being accused of emotional abuse for not allowing the girl to bind her chest or wear men’s clothing. The daughter was taken away to live in a foster home and the mother was disqualified from continuing her career as a Christian counselor. After several months of fighting in the courts, the mother cleared her name and regained custody of her daughter. Social workers required the mother to take the girl to the Los Angeles LGBT Center for LGBTQ+ youth. However, the mother believed that the center was not helping her daughter as it made the girl more rebellious and defiant. When the mother told her daughter she would have to arrange her own transportation to the center, social workers threatened the mother again with losing her daughter for emotional abuse. Ultimately, mother and daughter left California after the girl, at the age of 17, received a prescription for testosterone without her mother’s consent.

In Ohio, parents lost custody of their daughter when social workers argued that their lack of support for her SOGIE status made the girl suicidal. The girls grandparents were given custody because they “are the ones who have an open mind and will…make this sort of decision best for the child.”

In Vermont, Michael and Rebecca Gantt along with Brian and Kaitlyn Wuoti served as foster parents. Between the two families they adopted five children. Both men are pastors in their churches, and the families hold traditional views. For years, both the Gantts and the Wuotis received top marks from state officials for the care they provided. However, when it came time for the families to renew their licenses, both were denied because they would not abandon their faith and embrace Vermont’s anti-scientific proclamations regarding the ability to change their sex.

Given the confidential nature of juvenile court and custody proceedings, there are probably many more instances of parents losing their rights. Vernadette Broyles, president and general counsel of the Child and Parental Rights Campaign, warns “what the Biden administration and HHS has been putting out there as guidance for states, there’s no question in my mind that this is happening in a substantial way.”

• When no intervention is made 70% of children with gender dysphoria will grow out of it on their own.

• The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) lists eight conditions that are associated with gender dysphoria in children. A child is diagnosed with this condition if they meet six of them. They are:
—A strong desire to be of the other gender or insistence that one is the other gender
—A strong preference for cross-dressing or simulating [other gender] attire
—A strong preference for cross-gender roles in make believe play or fantasy play
—A strong preference for the toys, games, or activities stereotypically used or engaged in by the other gender
—A strong preference for playmates of the other gender
—A strong rejection of toys, games and activities typically associated with birth sex
—A strong dislike of one’s sexual anatomy
—A strong desire for the primary and/or secondary sex characteristics that match one’s experienced gender

• Most of the adolescent girls claiming to be transgender did not show any signs of these conditions in childhood. Further, social media can influence and coach these girls to say they meet the DSM-5 criteria for gender dysphoria and begin their treatment.

• The BBC reported on a study that showed some children taking puberty blockers reported an increase in thoughts of suicide and self-harm.

• “It showed that after a year on puberty blockers, there was a significant increase found in those answering the statement ‘I deliberately try to hurt or kill myself.'”

• A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine “found that 80 percent of gender minority students report having mental health problems, nearly double the rate of ‘cisgender’ students.”

• Renowned psychiatrist, Paul McHugh, said, “I believe that these gender confusions are mostly being driven by psychological and psychosocial problems these people have.”

• Professor Lisa Littman, a researcher at Brown University published a report “suggesting that some transgender-identified children might suffer from ‘rapid onset gender dysphoria,’ a phenomenon in which ‘one, multiple, or even all of the friends [in a group] have become gender dysphoric and transgender-identified during the same timeframe.” She believes that transgender identity is a social contagion. Littman hypothesized three things worked as the contagion:
—The belief that non-specific symptoms should be perceived as gender dysphoria and that their presence is proof of being transgender
—The belief that the only path to happiness is transition
—The belief that anyone who disagrees with the self-assessment of being transgender or opposes the plan for transition is transphobic, abusive, and should be cut off

• According to Littman’s study:
—Over 80% of the adolescents were natal females, with a mean age of 16.4.
—Most were living at home with their parents when they announced they were transgender.
—The vast majority had zero indicators of childhood gender dysphoria, and universally they failed to meet six of the criteria the DSM-5 requires to diagnose a child with gender dysphoria.
—A majority had had one or more psychiatric diagnosis and almost half were engaging in self-harm prior to the onset of gender dysphoria.
—41% had expressed non-heterosexual sexual orientation before identifying as transgender.
—47.4% had been formally assessed as academically gifted.
—Nearly 70% of the teenagers belonged to a social group in which at least one friend came out as transgender, and in some groups the majority of the friends had come out as transgender.
—Over 65% of teens had increased their social media use and time spent online immediately prior to the announcement of transgender identity.
—Among parents who knew their children’s social status, over 60% said the announcement brought a popularity boost.
—Over 90% of parents surveyed were white.
—Over 70% of parents surveyed had earned bachelor’s or graduate degrees.
—Over 85% of parents reported supporting the rights of gay couples to marry.
—Over 88% of parents surveyed reported being supportive of transgender rights.
—Nearly 64% of parents had been called “transphobic” or “bigoted” by their children for such reasons as: disagreeing with the child about the child’s self-assessment as being transgender, recommending that the child should take more time to figure out if the child’s feelings of gender dysphoria persisted, calling the child the wrong pronouns, telling their child that hormones or surgeries were unlikely to help, calling their child by his or her birth name, or recommending that the child work on other underlying mental health issues before undergoing medical transition.
—Fewer than 13% of parents believed that their adolescents’ mental health had improved after transgender identification, and over 47% reported that their mental health worsened.

• A study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that “More than half of transgender male teens [girl to boy] who participated in the survey reported attempting suicide in their lifetime, while 29.9 percent of transgender female teens [boy to girl] said they attempted suicide. Among non-binary youth [those who identify as neither], 41.8 percent of respondents stated that they had attempted suicide at some point in their lives.”

• In a paper published by the American Journal of Psychiatry it was reported that “sex-reassignment procedures—both hormonal and surgical—do not bring the promised mental health benefits.”

• The authors point out that on one score—treatment for anxiety disorders—patients who had sex-reassignment surgeries did worse than those who did not. “Individuals diagnosed with gender incongruence who had received gender-affirming surgery were more likely to be treated for anxiety disorders compared with individuals diagnosed with gender incongruence who had not received gender-affirming surgery.”

• The study in the American Journal of Psychiatry also found that transgender individuals who had received a diagnosis of gender incongruence were:
—six times more likely to have a mood or anxiety disorder than the general population.
—three times as likely to be prescribed antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications.
—more than six times as likely to attempt suicide resulting in hospitalization.

• Therapists usually practice gender affirmation. In other words, if a girl thinks she is a boy, therapists believe it is in the best interest of the child to affirm this. There is little evidence to suggest that this approach actually resolves the issues of gender dysphoria. Further, this approach is usually adopted without parental consent.

• Gender therapists tend to believe that adolescents know who they are. Rather than working to resolve underlying conditions that may cause gender dysphoria, they take the minor’s word as fact, and begin a treatment regiment based on what the adolescent believes.

• Gender therapists will essentially hold parents emotionally hostage by informing them that if they do not embrace their adolescents’ beliefs about gender dysphoria then their children will kill themselves. Rather than actively working to end self-harming behavior, therapists will use it to push the adolescents further down the path to transitioning.

• Gender therapists generally believe that gender identity is immutable and there is no way to convert a child out of a transgender identity. So instead of helping children move past their gender dysphoria, as they would 70% of the time without intervention, therapists believe there is no alternative to embracing the identity and moving forward with transition procedures.

• Many have described the transgender community, particularly its online presence, as a cult. They will constantly push one another further down the path of transition in the pursuit of a more genuine and authentic transgender lifestyle. Frequently, in social media postings, transgender influencers praise one another for how hardcore they are as they mutilate their bodies. Anyone perceived to have reservations about taking the plunge risks being perceived as less committed to the lifestyle, and not fully onboard.

• A 2020 study conducted by Britain’s National Health Service found a relationship between increased media coverage of transgender issues and rising number of teenagers, primarily girls, requesting sex changes. Journalists glorify medical transitions and present them to adolescent readers of celebrity publications as a solution to depression, anxiety and panic attacks. This is very appealing to adolescent girls, who traditionally have higher degrees of depression and anxiety than their male counterparts and were more adversely impacted by social isolation during the lockdown.

• During the isolation of lockdown, anxiety and depression grew in many girls. Last year, they followed an increasingly familiar pattern of rapid-onset-gender-dysphoria. It typically starts by transgender activists on Reddit, Tumblr, and YouTube promoting a transgender identity as a cure to all their problems. This then leads to the girls forming a new gender identity which schools then eagerly affirm. Any objections are treated as “transphobic.”

For a glossary of terms, click here.

• There are no medical criteria to determine if a child needs to undergo transition procedures.

• According to the Mayo Clinic “Feminizing hormone therapy” (the process of a male taking female hormones) comes with risks and complications including:
–A blood clot in a deep vein (deep vein thrombosis) or in a lung (pulmonary embolism)
–High triglycerides, a type of fat (lipid) in your blood
–Weight gain
–Infertility
–High potassium (hyperkalemia)
–High blood pressure (hypertension)
–Type 2 diabetes
–Cardiovascular disease
–Excessive prolactin in your blood (hyperprolactinemia)
–Nipple discharge
–Stroke
–Increased risk of breast cancer

• Taking female hormones can cause lasting damage in men. The risk of permanent infertility increases with long-term use of hormones, especially when hormone therapy is initiated before puberty. Even after stopping hormone therapy, testicular function might not recover sufficiently to ensure conception.

• According to the Mayo Clinic “Masculinizing hormone therapy” (the process of a female taking male hormones) comes with risks and complications including:
–Producing too many red blood cells (polycythemia)
–Weight gain
–Acne
–Developing an abnormal level of cholesterol and other lipids, which may increase cardiovascular risk (dyslipidemia)
–High blood pressure (hypertension)
–Type 2 diabetes
–Deep vein thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism (venous thromboembolism)
–Infertility
–A condition where the lining of the vagina becomes drier and thinner (atrophic vaginitis)
–Pelvic pain
–Clitoral discomfort and vaginal atrophy
–Endometrial and other forms of cancer

• Taking male hormones can cause lasting damage in women. The risk of permanent infertility increases with long-term use of hormones, especially when hormone therapy is initiated before puberty. Even after stopping hormone therapy, ovarian and uterine function might not recover well enough to ensure that a woman can become pregnant.

• Testosterone is a Schedule III controlled substance. It has serious health risks as noted above. However, to treat gender dysphoria, it is used by some as a cosmetic procedure rather than something requiring strict medical oversight. Some gender therapists administer the drug based on what the patient is feeling. In terms of a set dose, the only goal most medical professionals have is to keep the testosterone in the normal limit for a man.

• According to the British National Health Service (NHS): “Little is known about the long-term side effects of hormone or puberty blockers in children with gender dysphoria. Although the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) advises this is a physically reversible treatment if stopped, it is not known what the psychological effects may be. It’s also not known whether hormone blockers affect the development of the teenage brain or children’s bones. Side effects may also include hot flushes, fatigue and mood alterations.”

• Lupron, a drug once used in chemical castrations, is a popular puberty blocker. Lupron has caused neurological damage resulting in impaired pituitary function. The pituitary is the major endocrine gland in the brain and is important in controlling growth and development and the functioning of other endocrine glands. The effect on the pituitary was not reversible for 62.5% of patients. While the FDA has approved this drug to halt precocious puberty, it is not approved to halt normal puberty nor is it approved for long-term use. Lupron is now prescribed off-label.

• Puberty blockers are not a neutral intervention. Although some gender therapists present them as a safe alternative to buy time to allow for a child to determine his or her gender identity, halting puberty is unhealthy. Side effects include suppression of normal bone density development, greater risk of osteoporosis, loss of sexual function, interference with brain development and possibly suppressing peak IQ. Additionally, these drugs alienate a child from his or her sex. Further, in some instances after a child stops taking them puberty does not resume even if they wanted it to. One clinical study found that 100% of participants who used puberty blockers ultimately underwent a full transition.

• Binders, a devise used frequently by teenage girls that constrict their breasts tight against the body to give them a more masculine appearance, can cause serious harm. Broken or bruised ribs, punctured or collapsed lungs, shortness of breath, back pain, and deformation of breast tissue can result from wearing these devices.

• In women, top surgery, or a double mastectomy, leads to a permanent loss of breast function and comes with the risks of complication associated with any surgical procedure.

• In women, bottom surgery, either phalloplasty or metoidioplasty, are extremely complex procedures that can result in complications.
–In phalloplasty, doctors take a graft and create a new appendage in the groin area. Blood clots and infections are common. Additionally, the forearms, where most of the grafts are from for this procedure, can also suffer significant damage permanently leaving an individual unable to fully use their arms. Usually, the urethra will be run through the appendage; however, this is not without its own share of hazards, most especially leaks both internally and externally.
–Metoidioplasty involves the clitoris to be shaped to look like a penis, though it has no functionality other than the urethra can be run through it allowing for urination.

For a glossary of terms, click here.

—According to the updated National Sex Education Standards, by the end of the 2nd grade, students will be expected to define “gender, gender identity, and gender-role stereotypes.” Students will also be expected to “discuss the range of ways people express their gender and how gender-role stereotypes may limit behavior.”

—By the end of the 5th grade, students will be expected to “distinguish between sex assigned at birth and gender identity and explain how they may or may not differ.” They will also learn about the “differences between cisgender, transgender, gender nonbinary, gender expansive and gender identity.”

—“By the end of the 5th grade, students should be able to describe the role hormones play in the physical, social, cognitive, and emotional changes during adolescence and the potential role of hormone blockers on young people who identify as transgender.”

—Per the curriculum, 5th graders would be expected to “explain that gender expression and gender identity exist along a spectrum” and “describe gender role stereotypes and their potential impact on self and others.” 5th graders will also be required to “differentiate between sexual orientation and gender identity.”

—8th graders will be expected to “access medically accurate sources of information about gender, gender identity, and gender expression” and “demonstrate ways to communicate respectfully with and about people of all gender identities.”

—“By the end of the 10th grade, students should be able to explain the human reproductive and sexual response systems, including differentiating between internal and external body parts and their functions, and that there are naturally occurring variations in human bodies (e.g., intersex).”

—“By the end of the 10th grade, students should be able to differentiate between sex assigned at birth, gender identity, and gender expression”

—“By the end of the 12th grade, students should be able to describe the human sexual response cycle, including the role of hormones and pleasure,” and by the time they graduate from high school, they will be instructed to become “advocates” for “people of all sexual orientations.”

—In 2019, the policy-making arm of the California Teachers Association (CTA) approved a proposal allowing trans-identifying minor students to leave campus during the school day to obtain gender hormone treatments without parental consent. In 2020, CTA moved to create “school-based health care clinics” that would provide students with access to confidential hormone treatments so their parents will not find out.

—New York, New Jersey, Colorado, Illinois, Northern Virginia and Oregon public schools have adopted radical approaches to gender in their curricula and policies.

—Five more states – Delaware, Iowa, Massachusetts, South Carolina and Wisconsin – require that sex education include information on sexual orientation and gender identity that does not affirm or discriminate against LGBTQ students.”

—New Jersey, Colorado, Illinois and California legally mandate that public schools teach LGBTQ history.

—Educators like Dr. Judy Chiasson, the program coordinator for human resources, diversity and equity for the Los Angeles United School District, view parents as the problem. They see themselves as the vanguard of the revolution because they view how parents teach the subjects of sexual orientation and gender identity as inferior and antiquated. Further, these educators find teaching about LGBTQ issues difficult when parents complain. Objecting parents are the real problem not the materials that are being taught. Dr. Chiasson argues that the role of the school is not just teaching, but also to provide a catalyst for social change and “in some places, lead the community.”

—Historical figures like St. Joan of Arc, Catherine the Great, George Eliot, George Sand and Sally Ride are frequently presented to children as “gender nonconforming” role models.

—In schools across America, kindergarteners are taught that biological sex and gender very often diverge. Frequently lessons include the “Genderbread Person,” a tool in gender identity indoctrination featuring a gingerbread cookie outline of a person with arrows locating the seat of gender “identity” at the brain, the seat of “attraction” at the heart, “gender expression” as the whole body, and for biological sex an arrow points to where the genitals would be.

—Kindergarten teachers read from I Am Jazz, a story marketed for children about Jazz Jennings’ transition from a boy to a girl. Additionally, these young students are introduced to the concept they might have a girl brain in a boy body or vice versa.

—The ACLU, Planned Parenthood, and GLSEN (formerly the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) provide curricula to schools, and their members routinely lecture to students on sexual orientation and gender. Additionally, they provide teacher training and videos and coach Gay-Straight Alliance clubs.

—California Board of Education provides a book intended for kindergarten teachers to read to their class called Who Are You? The Kids Guide to Gender Identity. The book states. “These are just a few words people use: trans, genderqueer, non-binary, gender fluid, transgender, gender neutral, agender, neutrois, bigender, third gender, two-spirit….” The book concludes by telling kindergarteners “You are who you say you are because YOU know best.”

—Lindsay Amer, an educator who self-identifies as queer, regularly visits schools to play the ukulele and sing a song Amer wrote for preschoolers. Some lyrics to the song are “It’s OK to be gay. We are different in so many ways. Doesn’t matter if you’re a boy, girl or somewhere in between, we are all part of one big family. Gay means ‘happy.'”

—Schools in Transition from the Human Rights Campaign has become one of the most widely used policy guides for dealing with transgender students in public schools.

—Positive Prevention PLUS is among the most highly respected health curricula that provides instruction on gender-identity. One activity listed in the curriculum instructs teachers to ask their students to imagine they are a different gender. The instructions ask the teacher to compel the students to participate and encourage students to think of what would be fun about being a different gender.

—Schools will frequently facilitate social transitions (refer to the student by a new name, use preferred pronouns on official documents, instruct all students to refer to the student by their new gender identity, etc.) without informing the students’ parents. The schools will even go so far as to send duplicates of official documents home that use the child’s real name and pronouns to keep parents in the dark. C. Scott Miller, a fifth grade teacher and Equality California liaison to CTA, explains these practices by saying that “it is not the schools obligation to call up and ‘out’ a child to a parent because you’re not sending that kid home to the gay pride parade. You’re sending them home to somewhere that’s going to be very unsafe and a lot of misinformation, a lot of anger and it’s not just going to be a safe place for that kid.”

—According to the National Education Association, “Not having their gender identity respected and affirmed in their daily lives will cause [trans-identified students] significant psychological distress.”

For a glossary of terms, click here.

Meghan Riley Lewis—On December 27, 2023, Lewis was killed by Brian Delen in Bel Air, Maryland. Delen was working as a food delivery driver and asked Lewis “Are you waiting for a food delivery, sir,” according to the charging documents. Lewis became enraged by Delen’s “misgendering” and began yelling at Delen. Delen drove away, but Lewis ran after the car. Delen exited the vehicle and a physical altercation between the two began. Delen then shot Lewis in the abdomen. According to Delen’s public defender, Delen has a “strong self-defense argument.” Delen allegedly called 911 after shooting Lewis and rendered aid using his own first aid kit.

Savannah Ryan Williams—On November 29, 2023, Williams was killed by Damarean Kaylon Bible in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Bible told police that he walked past Williams at a bus shelter when Williams asked Bible if he wanted sex. The pair then walked to a nearby courtyard where Bible shot Williams. Bible told police he felt suspicious during the sex act and continued to feel that way after it was done, so Bible shot Williams. In Bible’s first police phone call to his parents, Bible told them he “just murdered someone,” and that he “knew he wasn’t God but he had to do it.” Bible was also charged with first-degree aggravated robbery in an unrelated attack at the Nicollet Mall on November 9, 2023, allegedly forcing the victim to empty his pockets at gunpoint.

Jean Butchart— On August 4, 2023, Butchart was killed by Matthew Torrey Tiggs, Jr., in the Van Buren Estates mobile home park in Wayne County, Michigan. In the weeks leading up to Butchart’s murder, Tiggs had committed numerous crimes in the trailer park where Butchart lived. In seperate criminal acts in the same trailer park, Tiggs shot a 47-year-old man and assaulted a 45-year-old man.

Kejuan Richardson—On November 14, 2023, Richardson was killed by Jorenzo Phillips in Toledo, Ohio. Richardson and Amiri Reid (see next) were found shot and killed in a vehicle that had run off the road. The vehicle had a window shot out suggesting that Phillips had been in the car. Richardson had been shot in the head and neck. Police issued a warrant for Phillips’ arrest, but before police could take him into custody, Phillips had committed suicide.

Amiri Reid— On November 14, 2023, Reid was killed by Jorenzo Phillips in Toledo, Ohio. Reid and Kejuan Richardson (see previous) were found shot and killed in a vehicle that had run off the road. The vehicle had a window shot out suggesting that Phillips had been in the car. Reid had been shot twice in the head. Police issued a warrant for Phillips’ arrest, but before police could take him into custody, Phillips had committed suicide.

LaKendra Andrews—On April 29, 2023, Andrews was fatally shot by an unknown assailant in East Dallas, Texas. This remains an open investigation.

**London Price—On October 23, 2023, Price was killed by Anthony Quinn Peyton. Prior to the murder, Price and Peyton had been in a troubled relationship, according to Price’s family. This is an example of intimate partner violence.

Lisa Love—On October 17, 2023, Love (also known as Jamol Turman) was shot and killed on the South Side of Chicago while walking home in the early morning hours. Police have not been able to identify the murderer or potential motive as the case remains open.

Dominic Dupree—On October 13, 2023, Dupree was found shot and killed in a vehicle on the South Side of Chicago. This remains an open investigation.

A’nee Johnson—On October 14, 2023, Johnson (who also goes by A’nee Roberson) was assaulted at approximately 4:20 A.M. by an unknown individual in the U Street corridor of Washington, DC. U Street is a popular night spot and multiple gay bars are located not far from where Johnson was attacked. The assailant then threw Johnson into the road where Johnson was struck by a vehicle. The driver of the vehicle was unrelated to the assault and stayed at the scene. This remains an open investigation.

**Sherlyn Marjorie—On September 17, 2023, Marjorie was killed by Jose Mendoza-Espinoza in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Marjorie and Mendoza-Espinoza were romantically involved. According to court records, Mendoza-Espinoza told detectives that he killed Marjorie after the victim had attempted to extort him for money and tell his wife about the affair. This is an example of intimate partner violence.

Chyna Long—On October 8, 2023, Long (also known as JaQuez Long) was shot multiple times by Antonio Currin in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Currin has been charged with reckless homicide and possession of a firearm by a felon. The charging documents did not indicate this was a targeted killing. Currin had previously been convicted for a string of armed robberies in 2016.

**Luis Ángel Díaz Castro—On August 12, 2023, Castro was murdered by Domingo Rafael Aquino Ubri in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Castro and Ubri had been romantically involved, and Ubri had just been released from prison on August 7 on domestic violence charges. Castro was the victim in Ubri’s previous crime. This is an example of intimate partner violence.

YOKO—On September 19, 2023, YOKO was killed in a hit-and-run by Bryan C. Mitchell, Sr. The SUV involved in the collision was reported as stolen. Mitchell faces one charge of hit-and-run driving resulting in death and possession of a stolen vehicle.

Thomas ‘Tom-Tom’ Robertson—On August 18, 2023, Robertson and another victim were shot by an unknown assailant in Calumet City, Illinois. Calumet is a suburb of Chicago. Robertson does not appear to have been the target of the shooting. However, the case remains unsolved.

DéVonnie J’Rae Johnson—On August 7, 2023, Johnson was killed by a security guard at a grocery store in Los Angeles, California. Johnson, who was homeless at the time, assaulted the security guard with a fire extinguisher and a screwdriver inside the store.

**Camdyn Rider—On July 21, 2023, Rider was killed by Riley John Groover in Winter Haven, Florida. Rider and Groover were engaged, and the couple had arguments in the past some resulting in physical violence. After shooting Rider, Groover then committed suicide. This is an example of intimate partner violence.

Jacob Williamson—On June 30, 2023, Williamson was killed by Joshua Newton and Victoria Smith. Williamson had previously been chatting online with Newton. Authorities say there is not enough evidence to charge as a hate crime.

Chanell Perez Ortiz—On June 25, 2023, Ortiz was killed by an unknown assailant and dumped along a highway in Carolina, Puerto Rico. This remains an open investigation.

Ashia Davis—On June 2, 2023, Davis was found shot to death by an unknown assailant in a motel room in Highland Park, Michigan. Highland Park is a suburb of Detroit. Detectives have not yet determined a motive for this killing.

Banko Brown—On April 27, 2023, Brown was shot and killed while robbing a Walgreens by Michael Earl-Wayne, the store’s private security guard. Brown threatened to stab Earl-Wayne when he shot Brown. Brown had a criminal record for theft prior to this incident.

Koko Da Doll—On April 18, 2023, Doll (also known as Rasheda Williams) was allegedly shot by Jermarus Jernigan in Atlanta, Georgia. According to the arrest warrant, Doll was seen in a verbal confrontation with a man fitting Jernigan’s description.

Ashley Burton—On April 11, 2023, Burton was shot by Darius Mills in Atlanta, Georgia. According to charging documents, Mills attempted to steal Burton’s cell phone leading to a confrontation. Mills has a long criminal record. Authorities do not believe this was a hate crime.

Ta’Siyah Woodland—On March 24, 2023, Woodland was shot by Darryl Carlton Parks, Jr. in Mechanicsville, Maryland. Authorities said there was “some type of confrontation” between the two in a local bar prior to the shooting, but they do not believe Woodland’s gender identity was a factor in the crime.

Tortuguita—On January 18, 2023, Tortuguita (Also known as Manuel Teran) was shot and killed by Georgia State Police. Tortuguita had been protesting the creation of a new training facility for the Atlanta police department. When the state troopers were sent in to clear out the protestors, Tortuguita began shooting at the troopers. The state troopers returned fire and killed Tortuguita.

Cashay Ashanti Henderson—On February 26, 2023, Henderson was killed by Cordell M. Howze in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. According to police, Howze accompanied Henderson back to Henderson’s apartment. Howze then shot and killed Henderson. In an effort to cover up the crime, Howze tried to set the apartment on fire. Prosecutors are pursuing the case as a hate crime because Howze told a friend, “I caught the body of a disgusting [expletive] tran.” However, that same friend also said Howze was acting deranged, and the judge in the case has order Howze to take a mental competency test. Howze also has a criminal record prior to the murder of Henderson.

**Maria Jose Rivera Rivera—On January 21, 2023, Rivera was killed in a murder-gsuicide by Rivera’s partner. This is an example of intimate partner violence.

Zachee Imanitwitaho—On February 3, 2023, Imanitwitaho was killed by Edilberto Lores Reyes in Louisville, Kentucky. Reyes and Imanitwitaho were co-workers. Reyes shot Imanitwitaho three times outside of work and then turned himself into police. No motive has been given for the crime, and Reyes has not been charged with a hate-crime. Reyes’ attorneys filed a pre-trial motion to have his mental competency evaluated.

Unique Banks—On January 23, 2023, Banks was killed in a mass shooting during a home invasion in Chicago. Banks’ mother was also killed in the attack. Banks’ boyfriend and two other transgenders survived the attack. Although police have described the attack as targeted, they did not give a motive for the attack, and the investigation remains open.

KC Johnson—On January 14, 2023, Johnson was killed by William Haven Hicks in Wilmington, North Carolina. Johnson had met Hicks on a dating app. When they met for their hook up, Hicks restrained Johnson without consent. Hicks also stole Johnsons purse before killing Johnson with a hammer and dumping Johnson’s body in Georgia. Hicks has been charged with first-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and kidnapping.

Jasmine “Star” Mack—On January 7, 2023, Mack was stabbed to death in Washington, D.C. The identity of Mack’s attacker remains unknown, and police are not investigating the murder as a hate crime.

Amber Minor—On December 24, 2023, Minor was shot by an unknown assailant in Raytown, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City. This remains an open investigation.