Voice your opposition to Ohio bill HB658 which requires schools to out transgender and gender non-conforming children

Sorry, we're going to get away from cuteness for a moment and talk about something MUCH more important.

I was appalled to learn today that a representative of the Ohio legislature has put forth a bill that requires government workers including teachers and those who work in state hospitals to "out" a child displaying signs of gender dysphoria to their parents. The sponsor, Thomas E. Brinkman, Jr. has even said that it's up to the parents to decide what is right for their child. This is a disgusting denial of basic humanity.

Further, the bill gets a lot wrong about gender dysphoria and even goes so far as to categorize it merely as any mismatch between physical gender traits and gender expression such as clothing choices. We're not even talking medical dysphoria here where there is acute and chronic distress about the mismatch between physical characteristics and gender identity. He's proposing that any child who displays any sign of not conforming to rigid puritanical definitions of masculinity and femininity be outed to their family. He makes clear in his statements and the reasons for the bill (such as a prior court case considering a parents refusal to support HRT when determining custody) that he seeks to help families repress their child's true gender identity and supports families that refuse to acknowledge or support their child's true self.

As our society moves forward towards a time when people can express their true gender identity openly we will hopefully move towards a time that limits external forces which make dysphoria worse, this bill does the opposite. It also puts trans and gender non-conforming youth at risk if their families are not supportive and will increase the depression, suicide and homelessness of LGBTQ+ youth. It is a hostile act towards all of humanity. This is about basic personhood and human rights. Please voice your opposition to the legislators. You can directly contact Thomas E. Brinkman Jr. here which I have already done!

Here's an article about the bill (not well written, but you'll get the point). Sorry for the downer, but this is too important to ignore.

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