The month of June continues to be aggressively pushed as “Pride Month”—a full month in which ‘LGBTQ’ topics and ideologies are relentlessly promoted to American families. At the forefront of the LGBTQ conversations lately has been the ‘T’—transgenderism.
Did you know that “in 2007, America had one pediatric gender clinic, (and) today there are hundreds”? Did you know “testosterone is readily available to adolescents… often on a first visit—without even a therapist’s note”?
In Oklahoma, our elected officials took a step to correct these alarming trends. To be specific, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed into law Senate Bill 613, which bans “all irreversible gender transition surgeries and hormone therapies for children under the age of 18.”
According to governor’s website, this bill “bans the use of any medications or surgical procedures for the purpose of gender transition. Penalties for violation include felony charges, license revocation and civil actions which can be filed by a parent or guardian.”
Last October, the governor listed this as a priority when reports indicated gender transition surgeries and hormone therapies were happening in Oklahoma. This is the first legal step in the grander cause of halting a social experiment that has wreaked havoc on many.
Stitt said, “We cannot turn a blind eye to what’s happening across our nation, and as governor I am proud to stand up for what’s right and ban life-altering transition surgeries on children in the state of Oklahoma.”
Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Matt Sharp applauded the bill. “By enacting this legislation, Oklahoma has taken a critical step toward protecting children and parents from being pressured into life-altering, often-sterilizing surgeries and drugs,” he said.
At publishing time, Oklahoma’s attorney general delayed the enforcement of this much-needed policy.
When thinking about the transgender topic, it’s important to get the policy right. It’s also important to recall there are people being affected amid the transgender boom.
Individuals like Laura Perry, whose story has been shared in the Baptist Messenger. Laura struggled with her sexual identity and went on to live nearly 10 years as a transgender male until the Lord saved her. She then embraced her God-given sexuality as female. To read Laura’s story, visit baptistmessenger.com/transgender-to-true-love.
Now the church must minister to those experiencing sexual identity issues and better prepare young people to contend with LGBTQ topics. We must also, with Christlike kindness, reassert our biblical convictions about sexuality and that God made us male and female (Gen. 1). The future of our young people and this nation depends upon it.
