SACRAMENTO, California (LifeSiteNews) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed a highly controversial bill that critics warned could have authorized the state to remove children from the homes of parents who refused to “affirm” their gender confusion.
On Friday, the Democrat-led state’s radical pro-LGBT, pro-abortion governor opted to veto California’s AB 957, arguing the bill was unnecessary and potentially hazardous to future left-wing agenda items.
“I appreciate the passion and values that led the author to introduce this bill,” Newsom wrote in a September 22 statement. “I share a deep commitment to advancing the rights of transgender Californians, an effort that has guided my decisions through many decades in public office.”
“That said, I urge caution when the Executive and Legislative branches of state government attempt to dictate – in prescriptive terms that single out one characteristic – legal standards for the Judicial branch to apply,” he continued. “Other-minded elected officials, in California and other states, could very well use this strategy to diminish the civil rights of vulnerable communities.”
And Newsom pointed out that the legislation is ultimately unnecessary considering current law.
“Moreover, a court, under existing law, is required to consider a child’s health, safety, and welfare when determining the best interests of a child in these proceedings, including the parent’s affirmation of the child’s gender identity,” he said.
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As LifeSiteNews previously reported, AB 957 was designed to alter Section 3011 of the California Family Code to require judges to consider whether or not parents “affirm” a child’s “transgender” identity as one of the factors in the consideration of custody disagreements.
The Washington Free Beacon noted that the vaguely worded new amendment sparked worries that “non-affirmation” would be regarded in the Golden State “as abuse.”
“In the past, when we’ve had these discussions, and I’ve seen parental rights atrophy, I’ve encouraged people to keep fighting,” California state Sen. Scott Wilk said during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, going on to warn parents to “flee California” if the bill were passed.
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“[I]f you love your children, you need to flee California,” he said. “You need to flee.”
Wilk argued at the time that the bill’s language could be used by the state to remove children from their homes if their parents don’t “support the ideology of the government.”
A spokesman for state Rep. Lori Wilson, who authored the bill and has claimed that even a seven-year-old should be “affirmed” in his or her gender confusion, previously pushed back on concerns about the newly revised legislation while asserting that judges should consider a parent’s “affirmation” in custody battles.
“It’s not saying [‘gender affirmation’] is the most important factor or determining factor,” the spokesman said. “It’s one of many factors that the judge should consider while working out a custody agreement.”
Following Newsom’s decision to scrap the measure, Wilson said in a Saturday statement she was “extremely disappointed.”
“I know the Governor’s record. He’s been a champion for the LGBTQ+ community for years and even before it was popular to do so,” she said. “However, on this point, the Governor and I disagree on the best way to protect [‘transgender, gender-diverse, and intersex’] kids.”
“My intent with this bill was to give them a voice, particularly in the family court system where a non-affirming parent could have a detrimental impact on the mental health and well-being of a child,” she argued, vowing to continue to fight for “all the trans kids that deserve a brighter and safer future.”
Wilson’s claims are sharply disputed by opponents of radical LGBT ideology.
As LifeSiteNews has extensively reported, in addition to asserting a false reality that one’s sex can be changed, transgender surgeries and drugs have been linked to permanent physical and psychological damage, including cardiovascular diseases, loss of bone density, cancer, strokes and blood clots, infertility, and suicidality. Further, studies indicate that over 80 percent of children suffering from gender dysphoria will outgrow it on their own by late adolescence without surgical or pharmaceutical interventions.
Regardless, transgender identification among children has spiked in recent years, and the rates of surgical mutilation of minors have risen astronomically. The phenomenon has coincided with young children across the country being actively encouraged in their classrooms to adopt “transgender,” “gender-fluid,” or “non-binary” identities.