State Reps. Click, Williams Introduce Affirming Families First Act

State Representatives Gary Click (R-Vickery) and Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Twp.) today held a press conference to announce a new piece of legislation – the Affirming Families First Act – which aims to clarify parental rights and limit gender-identity screening in Ohio’s child welfare system. 

“It is unconscionable to think that local government entities would flag a parent as being a danger to their son for declining to buy him a dress or call him her,” said Rep. Click. “We will not tolerate such government overreach in the State of Ohio”. 

“This legislation is about protecting families from government overreach and ensuring parents are not punished for raising their children consistent with biological reality. No parent should lose custody, face state intervention, or be deemed unfit simply for affirming a child’s sex,” said Rep. Williams. 

“The Affirming Families First Act restores common sense to our child-welfare and family-law systems by making clear that affirming biological sex is not abuse, neglect, or contrary to a child’s best interest—it is a protected parental right.” 

The Affirming Families First Act would clarify that it is not abusive for parents or guardians to affirm a child’s sex rather than a perceived gender identity. If enacted, this legislation would prohibit the following:

• Prohibits a parent’s affirmation of a child’s biological sex from constituting the basis to restrict access to the child, deny the child’s return, limit decision-making authority over the child’s physical or mental health care or withhold information about the child.
• Investigating a report of abuse or child neglect if the sole basis for the report is the parent’s or guardian’s affirmation of the child's biological sex.
• Proactive screening of children in the child welfare system for gender identity or sexual orientation and the maintenance of databases containing that information.
• Contracting with or using educational materials from outside organizations that suggest non-affirmation of a child’s biological sex is psychologically harmful or constitutes a threat to the child’s safety. 

This bill awaits a number and committee assignment. 

To watch the full press conference, click here.