Radicalization

Flag of US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Author Dept. of Health and Human Services (PD)

A proposed regulation by the US Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) would prohibit foster families from any attempt to “undermine, suppress, or change” the gender identification of children in their care [1].

Biblical Values Mischaracterized

Couched as “protection” for children suffering from gender dysphoria, i.e. gender identification at variance with their biological sex, the proposed regulation effectively equates the expression of biblical values vis a vis sexuality with child abuse [2].

It should be emphasized that there is no evidence to suggest that foster children in Christian homes have in any way been harmed.

Foster Parents Disqualified

Apart from interfering with religious freedom, the new regulation is likely to deprive the foster care system of thousands of willing foster parents who do not believe children should be chemically or surgically mutilated before they are old enough to purchase alcohol or vote.

Abuse and Gender Dysphoria

In point of fact, these children have already been traumatized.

Children enter the foster care system for a variety of reasons which include abandonment, the death or incarceration of a parent, neglect, physical or sexual abuse [3].  Abuse can, itself, cause gender dysphoria [4][5].

The child’s pain is real.  The underlying wound is real.  But the gender dysphoria is only a symptom, an attempt by the child to cope with that wound.  Failure to recognize the delusion as such further compounds the problem.

Government-Sponsored Radicalization

The HHS regulation in question is another example of the government-sponsored radicalization of American values.  As of this writing, nineteen Attorneys General have requested that the Biden Administration withdraw it.

But all of us who love children and want what is best for them must remain vigilant on their behalf.  The coming years are bound to bring new challenges.

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Gen. 1: 27).

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[1]  Straight Arrow News (SAN), “State AGs say new HHS foster care rule would violate Christian families’ rights” Karah Rucker, 11/29/23, https://san.com/cc/state-ags-say-new-hhs-foster-care-rule-would-violate-christian-families-rights/.

[2]  Washington Stand, “Proposed Federal Foster Care Rule Discriminates Against Christians” by Arielle Del Turco, 10/25/23, https://washingtonstand.com/commentary/proposed-federal-foster-care-rule-discriminates-against-christians.

[3]  Very Well Family, “Reasons Children Enter the Foster Care System” by Carrie Craft, 1/13/22, https://www.verywellfamily.com/top-reasons-children-enter-foster-care-27123.

[4]  Pediatrics, Vol. 148, Issue 2, “Disparities in Childhood Abuse Between Transgender and Cisgender Adolescents” by Brian Thoma PhD et al, 8/1/21, https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/148/2/e2020016907/179762/Disparities-in-Childhood-Abuse-Between-Transgender?autologincheck=redirected.

[5]  Psychiatric Times, “Trauma and Transition Directories:  The Risk of Caenisian Reversion” by Daniel Jackson MD and James Nolan MD, 7/12/23, https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/trauma-and-transition-trajectories-the-risk-of-caenisian-reversion.

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