Category Archives: LGBQT

Virginia Lacks Regulations for the Safe, Scientific and Effective Diagnosis and Treatment of Transgender Youth

Posted on May 14, 2023 by | 76 comments

UVa Children’s Hospital Courtesy UVa

by James C. Sherlock

To get this out of the way, I personally support qualified diagnosis and psychological treatment for gender dysphoria in children and adolescents.

I oppose puberty suppression, cross-gender hormonal treatments and transgender surgical procedures in minors.

That said, transgender individuals, like everyone, deserve skilled, safe and standards-based medical care.

Virginia laws and regulations protect people from all sorts of things, but somehow they do not protect transgender persons from bad medical treatment. It seems axiomatic to regulate transgender medical practice to the most up-to-date and widely accepted professional standards.

But that is not the case in Virginia. It is not that the standards are out of date; they apparently do not exist.

I searched the regulations of the Department of Health for the term “transgender” and it came up “no results found.” But VDH protects us from bad shellfish.

The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Health has lots of regulations, but a search for the term “dysphoria” comes up empty. Continue reading →

76 Comments

Posted in Children and families, Culture wars, Ethics, General Assembly, Health Care, LGBQT, Parental Rights, Psychology, Virginia Law

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The Ideology of Transgenderism Critiqued at JMU

Posted on April 28, 2023 by | 52 comments

by John S. Buckley

James Madison University recently showed how it ought to be for a conservative student group to sponsor a speaker on a controversial topic and be received with respect for principles of free speech and open inquiry. Bravo to JMU students, the JMU college administration, and the Harrisonburg community for setting such a good example.

On Wednesday evening, April 26, the JMU Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) chapter sponsored a notable right-wing speaker, Liz Wheeler, on the “ideology of transgenderism.” She’s a prominent speaker among conservative student groups on college campuses and she doesn’t pull punches, that’s for sure.

Although the word on campus was that the transgender community at JMU and in Harrisonburg was vociferously urging a boycott of the event and a small, colorfully outfitted, and sign-holding group showed up outside the hall where the talk was to be held, the whole event — inside, outside, and in-between was entirely civil. Everyone involved deserves credit for how it played out. The room was packed and late arrivers, I’m told, were turned away. Judging from the questions put to Ms. Wheeler after the talk, the audience was not all conservatives.

As if anticipating disruption, or at least aiming to head it off at the pass, the program began with remarks from an officer of campus security. I imagine he wouldn’t have said what he did without a green light from the college powers-that-be. He said disruptive behavior would absolutely not be tolerated; he cited some provision or another of the campus code of behavior; and he assured the audience that a second violation on anyone’s part would definitely result in removal and a citation.

His comments either did the job or weren’t needed in the first place. I sensed it was the latter.
Continue reading →

52 Comments

Posted in Culture wars, Education (higher ed), LGBQT, Marxism, Uncategorized

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Virginia Democrats in the House of Representatives Vote Against Their Own Daughters

Posted on April 23, 2023 by | 50 comments

USA Women’s National Team 2019

by James C. Sherlock

Abigail Spanberger, (D) Va. – Voted against protections for girls and women in sports

Every Virginia Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives voted against a bill to amend Title IX to prohibit biological boys and men from competing against biological girls and women in K-12 and college sports.

Voting nay: Donald Beyer, Gerald Connolly, Jennifer McClellan, Bobby Scott, Abigail Spanberger and Jennifer Wexton.

H.R. 734 Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023 amends Title IX (“on the basis of sex”) by stating that the term “sex” in athletics shall be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.

Jennifer McClellan (D) Va. – Voted against protections for girls and women in sports

The consequences of a no vote. H.R. 734 protects the dreams and hard work of girls who wish to play college sports.

The ones who got up early and stayed late training for their sport. The ones whose parents ferried them to practice and games on weekends.

It protects girls and young women in contact sports such as soccer and field hockey from inevitable injury from bigger, stronger, faster men.

Indeed, it protects their ability to participate.

It prevents the biological male who never won a medal from deciding — no hormones or surgery required — he is female to mount the platform and be awarded the gold. To break records set by girls and women.

To get rich with the new NIL rule in college sports and richer yet in women’s professional sports.

Everyone who thinks that won’t happen, raise your hand. Continue reading →

50 Comments

Posted in Children and families, Courts and law, Culture wars, Education (higher ed), Education (K-12), Federal, Feminism and women's rights, Law enforcement, LGBQT, Parental Rights, Politics

Bacon Bits: More Mad-As-Hell Stories

Posted on January 20, 2023 by | 49 comments

Ditch the name, keep the money. The University of Richmond recently removed the name of T.C. Williams from its law school because he owned slaves, even though, his descendants say, he contributed to the demise of slavery. Now the same descendants are arguing that the university should refund the money Williams donated to the institution … plus interest. “If suddenly his name is not good enough for the University, then isn’t the proper ethical and indeed virtuous action to return the benefactor’s money with interest? At a 6% compounded interest over 132 years, T.C. Williams’ gift to the law school alone is now valued at over $51 million,” Williams’ great-great grandson Rob Smith told The College Fix. Funny thing about that: long-ago university benefactors may be dirty, but their money never is.

Speaking of colleges and money… It’s all-out war between dissident alumni of the Virginia Military Institute and the VMI Alumni Agencies. The establishment alumni agency wants to raise $19.74 million from the 50th reunion class. Some members are saying, “Hell no, we won’t go.” In fact, they’re urging classmates to take what they would have given the VMI alumni association and contribute it to an alternative group, The Cadet Foundation. Alumni associations everywhere, beware; do not write off your older, conservative alumni. They can raise hell and make your lives miserable. You can win the battles and still lose the war.

Sage’s law. Delegate Dave LaRock has submitted a bill, HB 2432, that would require school officials to inform parents if their child self-identifies as transgender at school. The Family Foundation has dubbed it “Sage’s Law,” in honor of a 15-year-old girl who was adopted by her grandmother because her parents were unfit, identified as transgender at Appomattox High School, ran away, and got sucked into a sex trafficking ring. You can read the horrifying details of her horrific story in The Federalist. What happened to her is unforgivable. Continue reading →

49 Comments

Posted in Education (higher ed), LGBQT

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Parents’ Rights Under Assault in Richmond

Posted on January 18, 2023 by | 7 comments

by Kerry Dougherty

HB2091 – SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Parental access to minor’s medical records; consent by certain minors to treatment of mental or emotional disorder. Adds an exception to the right of parental access to a minor child’s health records if the furnishing to or review by the requesting parent of such health records would be reasonably likely deter the minor from seeking care. Under the bill, a minor 16 years of age or older who is determined by a health care provider to be mature and capable of giving informed consent shall be deemed an adult for the purpose of giving consent to treatment of a mental or emotional disorder. The bill provides that the capacity of a minor to consent to treatment of a mental or emotional disorder does not include the capacity to (i) refuse treatment for a mental or emotional disorder for which a parent, guardian, or custodian of the minor has given consent or (ii) if the minor is under 16 years of age, consent to the use of prescription medications to treat a mental or emotional disorder.

Parental rights continue to be under assault by Democrats in the General Assembly. They will never give this up until they are all voted out of office.

Fortunately, the GOP majority in the House of Delegates will be able to kill HB2091, a bill that would create an avenue for “health care providers” to keep information and treatment of mental or emotional disorders secret from parents.

We all know what “mental and emotional disorders” are code for: transgenderism and other associated behaviors. Continue reading →

7 Comments

Posted in Children and families, Elections, General Assembly, Health Care, LGBQT, Parental Rights, Politics, Uncategorized

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Richmond’s Metzger Bar and Butchery Denies Service to Christian Non-Profit

Posted on December 7, 2022 by | 78 comments

by The Republican Standard Staff

On Wednesday evening, an hour and a half before a reserved Family Foundation gathering in a private room, Metzger Bar and Butchery denied entry and service to the pro-family group, solely based on their political opinions and religious beliefs.

“It is alarming and disgraceful that this restaurant has a political litmus test to get in the front door,” said Victoria Cobb, President of the Family Foundation. “All Virginians should be concerned about this extreme bigotry and intolerance of people of faith, irrespective of their own political or religious beliefs. Everyone should be concerned that Virginians are being denied access in the marketplace, solely based on their beliefs.”

Cobb continued, “We live in a free market and people have many choices of where to dine, so we took our business elsewhere. Metzger’s has now isolated a wide base of customers who would rather go elsewhere than patron a bigoted restaurant. Most Virginians are charitable and would not only serve people with differing political or religious viewpoints but would share a meal with them and enjoy the exchange of different viewpoints.” Continue reading →

78 Comments

Posted in Children and families, Civil Rights, Culture wars, Ethics, Feminism and women's rights, Individual liberties, LGBQT

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The Woke Never Rest… Because It’s Hard to Keep Up

Posted on November 8, 2022 by | 63 comments

James Madison University already has a Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) program. Now three WGSS professors are proposing creation of an “LGBTQ” studies minor, reports The Breeze student newspaper.

The program, which must undergo a lengthy approval process, would give students “access to a quality minor that would give them insight into queer lives,” says WGSS prof Kristen Kelley.

Sounds to me like JMU has a long way to catch up.

Consider that Virginia Military Institute, a military academy for chrissake, refers to “LGBTQIA+” in its diversity, equity and inclusion program. The “I” stands for intersex, and “A” for asexual, aromantic, or agender, according to Google. Not only that, VMI adds a plus sign to cover any permutations of sexuality and gender the other letters leave out.

Why no “I,” “A” or plus sign, JMU?

I’ll admit, wokism mutates faster than cockroaches after a nuclear war, so it’s hard to keep up. But, really, a gender program with only five letters? C’mon, JMU, you’ve got to up your game!

— JAB

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Posted in LGBQT

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Wins Defends LGBTQIA+ Performance Artist at VMI

Posted on October 23, 2022 by | 49 comments

VMI Superintendent Cedric T. Wins

The rhetorical battle at the Virginia Military Institute rages like the Bloody Angle in the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse. In this ongoing war of words, VMI Superintendent Cedric Wins is like the corps commander who wanders dangerously close to the battlefront. Rather than rely upon subalterns and proxies to speak for him, he has waded into the rhetorical fray.

Wins recently distributed a letter responding to the criticism of VMI’s decision to host LGBTQIA+ performance artist Kimberly Dark. He argued that VMI has invited speakers, including conservative Judge Michael Luttig, representing a range of views. Taking issue with “unhappy alumni” who protested Dark’s presence, he framed the voluntary event as an opportunity for cadets to “listen to a speaker, evaluate the soundness of her analysis, hit her with tough questions, and see how well-founded her beliefs are.”

Bacon’s Rebellion has been sympathetic to the “unhappy alumni” Wins referred to, but we think he makes some reasonable points. Accordingly, in the interest of open dialogue, we republish his full letter below. –JAB Continue reading →

49 Comments

Posted in Culture wars, Education (higher ed), LGBQT

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Time for a Public Debate among Medical Experts on Treatment of Gender Incongruent Minors

Posted on October 20, 2022 by | 73 comments

John Littel Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources

by James C. Sherlock

When there is significant public interest in complex and controversial topics, it is best to let experts debate in public.

Such a topic is why Virginia children’s hospitals and clinics treat gender dysphoric children and adolescents with puberty blockers and cross-gender hormones as a standard practice.

And whether Virginia should permit them to continue to do so.

I offer for debate the recent decision by Sweden that the risks of hormonal interventions for gender-dysphoric youth outweigh the potential benefits.  They have restricted those specific interventions for minors to a very limited number of circumstances.

I recommend that the Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources sponsor a televised, structured debate among prominent medical experts.

Use the Swedish decision (below) that set strict limits on the use of hormones on minors as the motion, with the proposition/affirmative team arguing that decision is correct.

Ask leaders of the gender transition clinics at UVa and VCU to argue the negative side.  Use standard debate format and rules.

Such a public debate, as far as I know, would be the first of its kind on this topic in the United States.  It would draw a national audience and provide a national service.

Finding a broadcast venue to televise it should not present a challenge.

Continue reading →

73 Comments

Posted in Health Care, LGBQT

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Virginia Not Ready to Criminalize Parents Who Reject Child’s Transgender Identity. Not Yet.

Posted on October 17, 2022 by | 12 comments

Delegate Elizabeth Guzman. Social workers know best!

by James A. Bacon

Delegate Elizabeth Guzman, D-Prince William, stirred the hornet’s nest when she told WJLA last week that she would reintroduce a bill to expand the definition of child abuse to include inflicting “physical or mental injury” on children due to their gender identity or sexual orientation. Republicans criticized the criminalization of parental rights. The story went viral nationally before other local media had a chance to touch it.

The bill is so crazy (see Kerry Dougherty’s post below) that many Democrats have made a point of distancing themselves as well. But not all.

It’s worth noting that the original bill introduced in 2020 had two co-patrons: Del. Ibraheem Samirah, D-Herndon, and Senator Joe Morrissey, D-Richmond.

Also, while House Minority Leader Don L. Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth, declared that Guzman had assured him that she would not reintroduce a bill, he proceeded to defend her, according to The Washington Post. “She said her comments were taken out of context and that she does not want to criminalize any parents.” Continue reading →

12 Comments

Posted in LGBQT, Media

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Don’t California Our Virginia

Posted on October 17, 2022 by | 15 comments

Delegate Elizabeth Guzman

by Kerry Dougherty

Whatever you do at the ballot box in Virginia, do not return Democrats to power in Richmond.

Or anywhere else.

You’ve been warned.

Leftist Northern Virginia Delegate Elizabeth Guzman (D-Dale City), announced Thursday that she’s re-introducing legislation this year that would protect LGBTQ children from their parents.

Chew on that for a moment.

This is a push-back against Governor Glenn Youngkin’s department of education regulation that requires kids who identify with a gender other than the one they were born with to have parental permission to change their appearance and pronouns.

This sort of common-sense rule has made Democrats apoplectic.

Guzman’s bill, she said, would expand the definition of child abuse and neglect to include those who “do not affirm” their kid’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Continue reading →

15 Comments

Posted in Education (K-12), LGBQT

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UVa Children’s Takes Step Forward in Support to Gender Dysphoric Minors

Posted on October 5, 2022 by | 33 comments

by James C. Sherlock

I congratulate UVa Children’s Hospital for taking a step forward in the treatment of gender dysphoric minors.

One of the criticisms of that service was its singular focus on endocrinology.

Moving from mental health support to hormone therapy is, as Mayo Clinic warns, a big step.

Starting this week, comprehensive services in the Teen & Young Adult Health Center Transgender Health Services will for the first time include treatment by clinical psychologists of gender dysphoric minors for anxiety, depression and ongoing emotional issues.

UVa Children’s has added Professor Laura Shaffer, Ph.D., the chief of the hospital’s section of pediatric psychology, to the staff of that service. She is joined there by Assistant Professor Haley Stephens, Ph.D. and Assistant Professor Sara Groff Stephens, Ph.D.

This welcome change should ensure:

  • that a child arriving at that clinic will be thoroughly and professionally assessed and treated by a clinical psychologist;
  • that no child is referred to hormone treatment who can be effectively treated with psychotherapy; and
  • that both the minor and his parents will fully understand the risks of hormone therapy and, while being supportive, the psychologist will emphasize to parents the importance of allowing their child the freedom to return to a gender identity that aligns with his or her sex assigned at birth.

Continue reading →

33 Comments

Posted in Health Care, LGBQT

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Media Gins up Anemic School Walkouts

Posted on September 28, 2022 by | 10 comments

by Kerry Dougherty

You could almost hear the local media panting Tuesday morning. There were rumors that some Virginia high school students were going to walk out of school to protest the new parental rights policies of the Youngkin administration.

You know, the Department of Education regulations announced earlier this month that support the principle that parents are the ultimate authority over their own kids.

I wrote about this reversal of Ralph Northam’s policies on parental authority last week.

The mainstream media, desperate to weaken an increasingly popular Youngkin, portrays the policy as limiting transgendered rights.

That’s nonsense and if members of the media took the time to actually READ the language of the regulations, as I did, they would know it. Continue reading →

10 Comments

Posted in Culture wars, Education (K-12), LGBQT

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Use of Cross-Gender Hormones for Gender Transitions in Minors

Posted on September 27, 2022 by | 39 comments

by James C. Sherlock

In the sometimes murky world of diagnosis and treatment of gender dysphoria in children and adolescents, the following steps generally but not always occur in order, with each potentially serving as an off-ramp:

  1. Diagnosis;
  2. Mental heath support;
  3. Social transition;
  4. Puberty blockers;
  5. Cross-gender hormones; and,
  6. Surgery; often but not always waiting for surgery until a child reaches the age of majority.

That list gets dangerous when it gets to step 4.

What UVa Children’s Hospital requires is the diagnosis before it can proceed. It cites a list of “gender affirming” medical professionals to whom it will refer patients for that diagnosis. Many of them are on staff  I hope they are not as forward-leaning on this diagnosis as their advertising suggests.

The home page of the clinic lists the following services in order:

  1. Puberty blockers that delay sex-related physical changes;
  2. Cross-sex hormones, like testosterone and estrogen;
  3. Referrals for gender-affirming surgeries and voice therapy;
  4. Education about sex and contraception;
  5. Referrals for therapy to help manage anxiety, depression, and ongoing emotional issues;
  6. Help finding resources in the community.

I think those are presented in the wrong order. Therapy should be first. More on that later. Yesterday we discussed puberty blockers.

Today we will focus on cross-gender hormones. Continue reading →

39 Comments

Posted in Health Care, LGBQT

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Slick Selling of Child Gender Transitions at UVa Children’s Hospital

Posted on September 24, 2022 by | 108 comments

by James C. Sherlock

The University of Virginia Children’s Hospital offers a Madison Avenue-quality sales pitch for child gender transition.

As written and smoothly delivered, it deflects any reservation parents may have in supporting such transitions by telling them they have been misled or are being selfish or both.

It helps parents decide by blaming their reservations on myths.

I offer below both a video and a transcript of that sales presentation.

The presenter uses a variation on the closing technique called the “question close.” In this one she both asks the questions — identified as myths — and answers them. The presentation carefully avoids mention of the word sterilization.

I expect that, given the sensitivity of the subject, it is very likely the best technique for closing the sale. Brilliant even.

If that is your goal.

The reputation of UVa hospital likely will be damaged by this exposure of how it sells this particular product. They have earned it. Continue reading →

108 Comments

Posted in Health Care, LGBQT, Parental Rights, Psychology

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