There are some very interesting developments in the evolution of the resistance against gender identity ideology. First, we have a letter published in The Wall Street Journal by eminent professionals that highlights the global shift away from so-called ‘gender affirming care’ to a more measured approach with psychotherapy as the primary intervention. (archive) Second, the American Association of Pediatrics has announced that it will conduct a systematic review of ‘gender affirming care’ – something Our Duty has been particularly vocal in calling for. (archive)
In this Newsletter:
Updates from USA, UK, Canada and Australia, and a new book.
USA
Our Duty has added a Mid-West Chapter to the East and West ones we’ve had for a while. We expect to add chapters as and when demand and personnel coincide. While Florida is in the forefront of advances toward a saner world, the situation in California can only be described as crazy:
From the West Coast:
California parents are rising up; reaching a boiling point, with various parent groups and others joining forces to protest at school boards and at the state capital. There is so much going in the state that it is hard to keep up. Coalitions among different groups has been the most effective way to increase awareness and get the press, even liberal leaning publications, to notice. Our Duty West has been focused on activism over the spring and summer months. Gigi LaRue, the Co-Lead did an amazing job in her first podcast talking about what Our Duty and of course, gender. Our Duty West has been mostly concentrating on California Bills that are beyond horrible. Our Duty is fighting sixteen bills and supporting two. One of the bills that we are supporting was placed on suspense file (meaning it will likely die). The bill’s intent was to create a school policy to prevent body shaming at school. Our Duty’s Erin Friday surprised the author by agreeing that the bill is needed. After all, isn’t telling a child that everything is wrong with them the ultimate body shaming?
Fighting California Bills
There are two exceedingly terrifying bills. AB957 which, if passes, will require family court judges to find that supporting a child’s gender identity is in the best interest of the child’s health, safety and welfare. The effect will not only be that the parent who affirm the child’s identity will be granted custody, but because the legislature is using the terms “health, safety and welfare”, parents can be deemed abusive, even outside of custody cases, if they do not affirm the gender identity. Erin Friday, Esq. and Jennifer Kennedy, Esq. of Our Duty and a third independent attorney challenged the authors to a public debate. Unsurprising, they declined. Here is some of the testimony from the hearing. Abigail Martinez who lost her daughter to gender was a key witness. (Her story is featured in Epoch Times’ film, Gender Transformation: The Untold Realities.) The second horrifying bill is AB665 which will permit 12-year-olds to opt into a residential shelter without a claim of abuse on the parents. This means that school counselors who are told by a student that he is gender confused and that the parents likely won’t “support” can fail to come home from school that day and instead go to an LGBTQ overnight shelter. The parents will then have an indelible mark on their record, as Child Protective Service gets involved. Erin Friday explains on Fox News.
Rallies
Our Duty held a rally at the State Capital on June 30, 2023 knowing that all of the lawmakers would have to pass by the protesters, including those who were challenged to a debate. Our Duty will also be joining the California Family Council on its rally and lobby day on August 21, 2023.
School Board Policy
Our Duty was one of the main participants in the Coalition for Parents Rights. Our Duty contributed to the “no school secrets” policy that would require schools to inform the parents if a child is requesting to use a different name or pronouns, uses bathrooms and facilities that do not match their sex as denoted on school records or requests to change their school records. Chino Valley passed the Parent’s Rights policy with other school boards following suit. The California Attorney General is threatening to file a lawsuit.
School Walk-Out
International School Walk-Out on SEPTEMBER 14, 2023. More information here.
Our Duty Substack
Our Duty-USA started a Substack. Right now, it is California-centric on bills, but it will expand. Also, anything that happens in California gets passed to other states and countries, so it is applicable to everyone. It’s free but paid subscriptions are badly needed. The funds go right back into Our Duty’s activities.
UK
Consultations
In the United Kingdom, we have been involved in the NHS Consultations that are running alongside the development of the new Service Specifications for treating young people with transgender ideation. Despite there being some well-publicised advances, the overall picture is still very much ‘too little, too late’. Observers might celebrate the few steps forward; however, we must recognise that the goal of safe healthcare is still a thousand miles away. A new consultation is underway on Puberty Blockers, and our response to the published Service Specifications can be found here.
Gender Ideology in Schools
Keith Jordan was invited to comment on the pushing of gender ideology in schools for NTD News.
Debanking
Our Duty was embroiled in the UK ‘debanking’ scandal when Metro Bank declined to open a business account saying our “website conflicts with the culture and ideas we are pushing”. This was reported in The Daily Telegraph and Keith gave an interview on GB News.
Legal Action
Our Duty is involved in building a case against the adult ‘gender’ clinics in the National Health Service (where 70% of the patients are under 25). Initially, the case was built around that of detransitioner Ritchie Herron and an anonymous Our Duty parent whose son was harmed. As the legal argument was developed, the case now consists of two mothers whose children are at risk. The proposed lawsuit is called a Judicial Review which is aimed at demonstrating that certain policies of the NHS are unlawful. There is more information and a crowdfunder for the case at: https://democracythree.org/help-us-hold-the-nhs-to-account
CANADA
Our Duty Canada has grown to more than 60 members. This chapter offers Parent Support Zoom meetings twice a month, giving parents of affected children and adolescents a place to talk and share among others who understand what they’re going through. Our Duty Canada is putting pressure on Canadian school boards and government bodies through an active letter writing campaign and through more focused efforts like the Brief they’ve written to be part of New Brunswick School Policy 713’s review process. Many of the parents Our Duty Canada supports are taking on volunteer roles within the Chapter and then empowering other parents who also feel like they need to “do something”. They continue to participate in and share information about opportunities for parents to have their stories heard, like with their new podcast, The Resilience with Melanie, and with protests like the Million Person March/Leave Our Kids Alone coast to coast walkout and peaceful protest happening on September 20th. Our Duty Canada has added more content to their webpage including a survey for Canadian parents whose children have been socially transitioned at their schools (more surveys to come shortly) and a pamphlet they created with Canadian Gender Report (another Canadian org). Look for many good things ahead!
AUSTRALIA
There has been a noticeable shift in the debate in Australia, although there have yet been no reversals to policy. Parents have been getting active in protesting against gender ideology being taught in schools. Our Duty is active behind the scenes lobbying and making submissions to governmental and professional bodies. One is to the College of Psychiatrists related to the upcoming review of their position statement on gender dysphoria. The second is to the NSW Government regarding their proposed anti-conversion practices legislation. There is definitely more attention paid to voices such as ours, although clearly there are still many hearts and minds to be won over where it matters.
And finally…
Volunteers
We are pleased to report that we have had an influx of folks without children in the gender web reaching out to offer to help. If you have not heard back from us, it’s not because we don’t need you, it is because our leads are knee deep in the soup and have had to focus on the exigent issues. Don’t worry, we will be knocking on your door shortly.
Donations
Both United States and UK branches are making our Non-Profit status official. We need to raise $10,000 for attorney’s fees. Also, each time we go to Sacramento to testify against bills is costs between $200 and $1,000 depending on whether we need to fly in, or fly in a witness. Please help up with our expenses. Our personal piggybanks are dwindling.
Book: Lost in Trans Nation
Dr Miriam Grossman has published her book ‘Lost in Trans Nation’, it has been well-received and is already a bestseller. Perhaps you might like to write a review for Our Duty to publish?
As ever, we are grateful for all your donations that keep the lights on and our servers running. We are achieving more attention for our mission to protect children from the medical and psychological harms of gender ideology. Whether you like to donate, buy a t-shirt, join us in our activism, or just cheer from the sidelines, your support is invaluable in keeping up morale. As we refine our practice, we are seeing more and more children desisting from transgender ideation, and each one gives us strength and hope. Of course, we’d like to do more, estimates put the number of adolescents with transgender ideation at over half a million worldwide, right now we are only helping a tiny fraction of these youngsters. Helping them all will require shifting social norms toward a more sensible, truthful, and good world.
