Page 695 – Family Council

Biden Administration Challenges Arkansas’ SAFE Act

Jun 18, 2021Jerry CoxLegislation, TransgenderArkansas Legislature, SAFE Act, Transgender

On Thursday President Biden’s U.S. Department of Justice filed a statement of interest opposing Arkansas’ Save Adolescents From Experimentation (SAFE) Act in federal court.

The SAFE Act is a 2021 law that protects children in Arkansas from sex-reassignment procedures, puberty blockers, and cross-sex hormones.

The DOJ’s statement filed on Thursday calls sex-reassignment procedures “life-saving care” and argues that the SAFE Act violates the U.S. Constitution.

The brief also claims that Arkansas’ reasons for supporting the SAFE Act are “mere pretext for animus against transgender minors” — in other words, that Arkansas’ policymakers must secretly be motivated by hate instead of a desire to help children.

But as we have said time and time again, researchers do not know the long term effects puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones can have on kids.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has never approved puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for the purpose of gender transition. Doctors are giving these hormones to kids off-label, in a manner the FDA never intended.

That is why many experts agree that giving puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to children is experimental, at best.

That’s also why a major hospital in Sweden announced earlier this year that it would no longer administer puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to children.

It is deeply disappointing that the federal government would use taxpayer dollars to oppose a law that protects children from experimentation. Fortunately, Arkansas’ Attorney General’s office is fighting back, and we believe that federal courts will uphold this good law.

Read The DOJ’s Statement of Interest Opposing the SAFE Act Here.

Modern Family: Are the Kids Really Fine?

Jun 18, 2021Jerry CoxFamily, VideoFamily, Video

From our friends at What Would You Say?

You’re in a conversation and someone says, “Don’t worry, the kids will be fine.” What would you say?

Religious Liberty Wins Unanimous Victory at U.S. Supreme Court

Jun 17, 2021Jerry CoxAdoption, Religious FreedomAdoption, Foster Care, Religious Liberty

The Roberts Court, April 23, 2021. Seated from left to right: Justices Samuel A. Alito, Jr. and Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., and Justices Stephen G. Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor Standing from left to right: Justices Brett M. Kavanaugh, Elena Kagan, Neil M. Gorsuch, and Amy Coney Barrett. Photograph by Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States.

On Thursday the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of a faith-based adoption and foster care agency from Philadelphia.

The city of Philadelphia ended foster-care referrals to Catholic Social Services in 2018, because Catholic Social Services declined to place children with same-sex couples.

The city’s decision prevented the charity from placing new foster children with families in Philadelphia — all because Catholic Social Services wanted to operate according to its religious convictions regarding marriage.

In a statement, Alliance Defending Freedom General Counsel Kristen Waggoner said, “The government can’t single out people of certain beliefs to punish, sideline, or discriminate against them. We’re grateful for the good decision today consistent with that principle.”

This is a stunning victory for religious freedom in America.

As same-sex marriage and so-called “nondiscrimination” legislation have advanced across much of the nation, faith-based adoption and foster care agencies have faced tremendous pressure to violate their religious convictions or stop serving their communities altogether.

Today’s Supreme Court decision affirms that our laws must respect religious liberty.

The fact that the ruling was unanimous makes this decision all the more significant.