Critics are blasting a ballot initiative in New York they claim has “vague language” that could prevent parents from being a part of their children’s decisions regarding gender reassignment surgery, a procedure that can have dire consequences.
The news surrounds the Equal Rights Amendment the state’s legislature passed in early 2023, Fox News reported on Saturday, noting its passing will bring the amendment to voters in November 2024.
In a statement to the outlet, Greg Garvey who is the executive director of the Coalition to Protect Kids – New York, said any decent lawyer would read the Proposition One language and be left in disbelief.
“This ballot initiative is written so broadly and so poorly that it could cause irreparable harm to children and families. This is no soft-sounding equal rights amendment, it’s nothing less than The Parent Replacement Act,” he said.
In a social media post on Friday, the coalition detailed the Equal Rights Amendment, saying if it is passed, it could take away parents’ rights:
— The Coalition to Protect Kids-NY (@ProtectKidsNY) April 12, 2024
The Fox report explained what voters will be asked in November and also cited the coalition:
The ballot proposal will ask New York voters this November if they support adding language to the state constitution strengthening that people cannot be denied rights based on their “ethnicity, national origin, age, and disability” or sex, which includes “sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy.”
“If entities cannot ‘discriminate’ based on age or gender identity or expression, under the new amendment language, medical providers could be required to facilitate a child’s request to make permanent, life-altering ‘gender-affirming’ decisions, and they would not need to consult with parents,” the coalition continued.
In March, a poll found that fewer than one in four Americans thinks it is acceptable to give children puberty blockers while they are experiencing gender dysphoria, as Breitbart News reported.
It is also important to highlight the story of a young man named Daniel Black, who said he began making plans with his doctor to surgically remove his penis a mere 30 minutes into a consultation about why he was struggling with his gender identity when he was a teenager, according to a Breitbart News article in July.
When he was 19 years old, Black, who is from the Czech Republic, had his penis surgically removed and received breast implants. However, he is now detransitioning.
“The surgery destroyed my life,” he said of the experience. “It’s crazy that doctors and specialists provide children with this experimental treatment instead of offering them extensive psychotherapy. These people then have to live with drastic lifelong consequences,” he added.
To read more articles about the issues surrounding gender reassignment surgery, click here.
