Staff Reports
The Virginia House of Delegates approved a bill on Tuesday, known as Sage’s Law, that would prevent teachers from keeping a child’s social transition from their parents. The bill was named after 14-year-old Sage, who was sex trafficked twice and raped after the state removed her from her parents’ custody to protect her from “misgendering.” Sage’s mother, Michele, testified before the Virginia education committee last week and shared her heartbreaking story of how the school and the state still insisted Sage would be harmed by her parents, even though they were prepared to use Sage’s masculine name and pronouns.
This is a LIE! There's no forced outing of kids. That @pwcdanica opposes protecting kids from sex predators/trafficking & ignores the concerns parents/caregivers in light of Sage's tragic story is the really concerning thing here! @BillboardChris @ginnygentles @IWN @LarryOConnor https://t.co/Lzp6701YaW
— Julie Gunlock (@JGunlock) February 7, 2023
Sage’s Law requires parents be notified if their child socially transitions to another gender, prohibits teachers from hiding that transition and clarifies the meaning of “child abuse” to not include “misgendering.” The bill passed the House 50 to 48 Tuesday and will be considered by the Virginia Senate.
The opposition to the bill argued that children who are transgender will be put in harm’s way if they are forcibly outed, potentially leading to physical abuse or homelessness. Delegate Danice A. Roem, who is transgender, spoke out against the bill on Monday, citing her own experiences as well as those of other children who have been kicked out of their homes and beaten for being outed against their own will.
Despite the opposition, the bill passed in the House and will now be considered by the Senate. If passed, Sage’s Law would provide much needed protection for children who are transgender and prevent them from being put in dangerous situations. It would also ensure that parents are aware of their child’s social transition and provide them with the opportunity to be supportive. Ultimately, this bill could help prevent tragedies like what happened to Sage from occurring in the future.
The preceding article is a summary of an article that originally appeared on The Daily Caller
