A California lawmaker has urged parents to flee the state after Democrats in the Senate advanced a bill that could see parents lose custody rights if they refuse to affirm their children’s chosen gender.
A California bill AB957 was just amended to add "a parent's affirmation of the child's gender identity" as part of the "health, safety, and welfare of the child" in the state's Family Code.
If parents disapprove of their child's gender transition, and say a teacher or lgbt… pic.twitter.com/YyaHLoSHFk
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) June 9, 2023
California State Sen. Scott Wilk (R-Antelope Valley), who has been in the state legislature for 11 years, made the plea while responding to the AB 957 bill advanced by the State’s Senate.
The bill includes a parent’s affirmation of the child’s gender identity as part of the child’s health, safety, and welfare. This provision of the bill will be considered by California judges when determining child custody during divorce proceedings.
NEW: Sen. @ScottWilkCA warns parents to flee his own state.
“In the past when we’ve had these discussions and I’ve seen parental rights atrophied—I’ve encouraged people to keep fighting—I’ve changed my mind on that.
If you love your children, you need to flee California.” pic.twitter.com/9HGLiUFBsw
— Tony Kinnett (@TheTonus) June 14, 2023
“And now we have this [AB 957] where if a parent does not support the ideology of the government, they (children) are going to be taken away from the home,” Wilk said. “… in the past when we’ve had these discussions and I’ve seen parental rights atrophied, But I’ve encouraged people to keep fighting. I changed my mind on that. If you love your children, you need to flee California. You need to flee.”
Wilk added that parental rights are under assault in California and that the state has put government bureaucrats between parents, children and doctors when it comes to medical care.
“I have been here and witnessed a full frontal assault on charter schools, taking away Parents’ choice and how their children are going to be educated to the detriment, particularly of children of color,” Wilk said.
State Sen. Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) spokesperson tried to downplay Wilk’s concern while arguing that gender affirmation is not the most important factor in determining child custody.
“It’s not saying [affirmation] is the most important factor or determining factor. It’s one of many factors that the judge should consider while working out a custody agreement,” the spokesperson said.
Wiener and Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City) co-authored the bill and it’s currently limited to divorce proceedings. However, Wilk believes that the gender affirmation issue will not end with divorce and will go much further in the future.
