John Stonestreet – Family Council

British MP Acknowledges Truth of the Cass Review: Guest Column

May 6, 2024John StonestreetLGBTLGBT, SAFE Act, Transgender

The Cass Review, “the most extensive and thorough … evidence-based review of treatment for children experiencing gender distress ever undertaken,” landed like a bombshell in the U.K. The report’s main conclusion is that science is not settled about “gender-affirming” treatments of minors. In fact, Dr. Cass concluded that “for most young people, a medical pathway will not be the best way to manage their gender-related distress.”

As expected, the reaction from LGBTQ advocates was swift and shrill, attempting to discredit The Cass Review. For example, British MP Dawn Butler claimed that Dr. Cass left out 100 studies from the report. It turns out she simply repeated a social media post of a pro-LGBTQ organization without fact-checking the claim or reading the report.

After being corrected by Dr. Cass and others, Butler admitted her mistake and apologized for “inadvertently [misleading]” the House. Good for her. She’s given us an example of the power of truth to change hearts and minds.

The Myth of “Affirmation”: Guest Column

May 2, 2024John StonestreetLGBTLGBT, Transgender

Greater ‘affirmation’ of LGBTQ identities does not lead to improved mental health.

For years, activists have claimed that greater social acceptance and affirmation of LGBTQ-identifying individuals would lead to better mental health outcomes. Implicit in the claim is the idea that “widespread prejudice against homosexual people causes them to be unhappy or worse, mentally ill.”

However, according to a soon-to-be-published paper by researcher Amy Hamilton, the science does not support this claim. Research from three different continents—Australia, Europe, and the U.S.—reveals that a more accepting social environment does not bring improvement in psychological distress or suicidal behavior. In fact, it’s the opposite. One study found that younger LGBTQ-identifying people raised in more affirming social environments “were worse … than the older cohort.”

We’ve been lied to. The “science” was never settled. In fact, the research trend right now is to show just how ideologically corrupted the medical, educational, psychological, and scientific “experts” have become on questions of sex, gender, and identity. And the kids are the victims.

Washington State’s Hotline to Report “Hate”: Guest Column

Apr 29, 2024John StonestreetLGBTHate Crimes, LGBT

Late last month, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee signed a bill to create a state-run hotline so that residents can report “hate crimes” and “bias incidents.” Such “crimes” and “incidents” include noncriminal activity like refusing to use someone’s pronouns or accidentally misgendering a person. No evidence is required to report someone.

Proponents of the bill say that the hotline is necessary for members of marginalized communities who “might be afraid to contact police.” In reality, it will pit members of the community and, potentially, families against one another and could mobilize police and Child and Family Services to violate families and enforce radical and dangerous ideas about sex and gender.

Tragically, Washington is the state most impacted by retail theft, among other crimes. What residents there really need is legal and police reform to protect their safety and uphold their freedoms.