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Protect Kids California Files Initiatives On Gender In Schools, Sports, And Healthcare

Proposed measures aim to notify parents, regulate sports participation, and restrict medical procedures.

Protect Kids California files three initiatives related to gender in schools, sports, and healthcare for the 2024 ballot.

Kelly Hewitt points to the school board members and says, “It’s hard enough to protect our kids but the people we need to protect them from are you” during a meeting of the Orange Unified School District in Orange on Thursday, August 17, 2023 to consider adopting a policy that would require the school to notify parents that their child is transgender. (LEONARD ORTIZ/GETTY IMAGES) 

Protect Kids California filed three citizen-initiated ballot measures to enact laws related to gender in schools, sports, and healthcare.

The first initiative would require schools to notify parents or guardians when a student requests to be treated as a gender identity that differs from the student’s listed sex in the student’s record. Notification would be required within three days of the student’s request. 

Schools would need to receive written approval from a parent or guardian before schools would be authorized to address the student by a different name for the purpose of gender identity. 

This also includes addressing the student by different pronouns that do not correspond to the listed sex in the student’s record.

The initiative allows the student to participate in sex-segregated sports or programs or use facilities for another gender that is not listed on the student’s record; and

The proposed law would allow access to body-modification clothing or appearance-altering materials for the purpose of appearing as a gender different from the one listed on the student’s record.

The second initiative would prohibit males, defined as persons with XY chromosomes, from competing in female, defined as persons with XX chromosomes, sports in public schools and universities. 

The law would repeal language that allows students to participate in sports and use facilities that do not correspond to the gender listed on their birth certificate. The law would also require sex-segregated bathrooms and locker rooms.

The third initiative would prohibit healthcare professionals from prescribing hormones or performing procedures that would stop or delay puberty or alter a minor’s appearance for the purpose of changing a person’s gender identity. 

The law would provide for exceptions, including allowing medically necessary procedures or treatments for minors born with a medically verifiable sexual development disorder.

The initiative allows minors who have already received sex-reassignment prescriptions or procedures and desire to reverse the effect of the prescription or procedures.

It would allow minors who have already begun sex-reassignment prescriptions or procedures prior to the effective date of the law.

Healthcare professionals who violate the law would be subject to discipline by the licensing entity of the provider.

“These are common sense issues. Unfortunately, California is controlled by an out-of-touch legislature that refuses to engage in protecting parents or kids,” said Jonathan Zachreson, founder of Protect Kids California and Roseville City School Board member.

In order to qualify for the 2024 California ballot, the initiatives need to be cleared for signature gathering by the attorney general and collect 546,651 valid signatures each.

“[The initiatives are] pushed by those who deny the reality that thousands of Californians are trans and that we live in every community,” said Evan Minton (D), a candidate for the state Assembly to represent District 6. “They cynically exploit LGBTQ+ children as pawns to advance their narrow agenda. This manipulation is sickening and must end.”

Similar initiatives on both sides of the issue are also in the works in other states. Two initiatives in Missouri related to gender issues have been cleared for circulation.

One would repeal the language defining marriage between one man and one woman allowing consenting adults the right to marry regardless of gender.

The repeal the language for marriage provide for an individual the right to express their gender identity and sexual orientation in a way that does not infringe on others to do the same.

This would provide for minors the ability to receive healthcare that alters a minor’s appearance for the purpose of changing gender identity with the consent of a parent or guardian.

The other initiative would define sex in state law as “sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity.”

As of Sept. 6, 2023, 47 statewide ballot measures have been certified for the ballot in 22 states for elections in 2024, including nine in California.

 

Produced in association with Ballotpedia

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