Youngkin blasts Democrat’s bill criminalizing parents who do not affirm a child’s ‘gender identity’

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin this week blasted a Democrat state legislator’s proposed law that would make it a crime of child abuse for parents not to affirm a child’s “gender identity.”

When asked about the bill at a campaign event, Youngkin made it clear he stands with parents in opposing the legislation and the “progressive liberal” ideology that parents should not be intimately involved in their children’s education.

“What we saw is a clear statement of what the progressive liberals believe. They believe if parents try to be parents they should be investigated,” he declared. “We saw Attorney General [Merrick] Garland out of the U.S. government investigating parents for standing up at board meetings. We saw my opponent last year stand up and say parents don’t have the right to see what’s being taught in classrooms.”

Youngkin elaborated on his thoughts in an interview with 7News reporter Nick Minock:

“My first reaction is, this is exactly what the progressive liberal Democrats believe, and she just spoke transparently what she thinks should happen. And, oh, by the way, this is the exact revelation that happened last year in my campaign when Terry McAuliffe clearly articulated, again, that they believe parents shouldn’t be dictating what’s taught in schools. And this is what they believe.

“I also think this is why Virginians – not Republicans, but Virginians – stood up so strongly last year and rejected trying to put bureaucrats and politicians between parents and their children. And I think Virginians are going to continue to deliver the exact same message this November.” 

Of Guzman, he said “she, in fact, spoke [Democrats’] truth. And now they’re trying to walk it back. This is transparency from the progressive liberal Democrats of what they believe. And now they’re trying to walk it back because they don’t want anybody to know that yet.” 

“What we know is that parents matter in Virginia. What we know is that parents across the political spectrum spoke loudly last year, and they’re speaking loudly again now. Parents must have the primary role in their children’s lives. 

“That’s their education. That’s their health. That’s their upbringing. That’s their well-being. And this is why I believe that we have such momentum for so many of the things that we’re doing – but on top of that, why I think in November – again, voters, not just Republicans, but voters – are gonna stand up and send a very clear message.” 

Virginia House Minority Leader, Democrat Don Scott, said he does not believe Guzman will move forward with the proposed legislation, saying it was planned as a response to Youngkin’s updated model policies for schools on transgender students. 

Guzman seemed to confirm this, telling 7News, “The day that Gov. Youngkin wanted to implement this policy, I immediately texted the policy lead of that committee and said, this is how we’re going to push back.”