As Majority Whip, I and many of my fellow state representatives and members of leadership have been fighting to protect our children from receiving sterilizing puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and sex change surgeries. Also, we are fighting to stop men from playing in women’s sports.
The other party is fighting to allow all those things to take place that, to me, create great harm to our children. The argument they use is that parents should decide what is done with children in this regard. My response would be can the parents allow a child to drive a car before they have a license? Can they allow them to serve in the military and fight in a war when still a minor? No, parents cannot make those decisions.
A gender transition can never be reversed and we should continue to protect our children in this state and nation. Thankfully we have bills on these issues currently progressing through each chamber. In my role as Majority Whip, I have determined that the legislation has very strong support in our caucus.
It is more imperative than ever to protect children from harmful and unnecessary medical procedures. Gender transition surgeries can be exploitative of vulnerable populations, and an overwhelming majority of gender dysphoria is resolved when the child is given time to develop and grow. Studies have shown that post-transition suicide rates increase at an alarming rate compared to peers, and many who de-transition at a later stage in life report not being properly informed of all the options, dangers, and effects surrounding gender transition. Gender transition procedures performed on minors inflict severe and irreversible harm and come with many medical side effects, and often underlying mental health and psychological disorders are being ignored and going untreated.
Athletic opportunities for female athletes are in question if biological males are allowed to compete. Biological men obviously have an unfair advantage in sports competition over women, and I believe we owe it to women athletes to protect their right to fair competition and the integrity of women’s sports. Allowing biological males to compete in female sports continues a practice of unfair sex-based disadvantage for women, and even risks the loss of scholarship opportunities and collegiate experience if they are forced to compete against biological males. It is fair that athletes should compete against their biological peers in any athletic contest.
May God bless and keep you and our great nation.
Hardy Billington represents District 152, which includes Butler County.