From Family Research Council
His name was Dylan Parke.
He took his own life at just 19 years old.
He was struggling to fit in at school. He had been left off the baseball team, diagnosed with depression, and was undergoing mental health treatment. Dylan had also confided in school staff that he was questioning his gender and was socially transitioning to “Aria.”
But the school never told his parents, in fact, they concealed his confusion from them.
The school system and staff will move on with their lives. But every parent knows it will never be the same for Dylan’s mom and dad.
That’s why they are suing the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) for their “secrecy policy,” which purposefully keeps parents in the dark if their child believes themselves to be another gender.
And thankfully, they aren’t alone. Lawsuits are beginning to pile up against unscrupulous doctors, hospitals, and schools who are pushing this dangerous agenda.
In January, a New York jury awarded $2 million to a woman whose psychologist and plastic surgeon pushed her into getting a double mastectomy at the age of 16 when she expressed gender confusion.
Chloe Cole, a survivor of transgender ideology is also pursuing legal action against Kaiser Foundation Hospital for performing gender reassignment procedures on her when she was only 15.
Today, many people are speaking out against the dangers of transgenderism but just a few years ago, FRC was one of only a small handful of groups willing to proclaim truth.
We helped pioneer Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act legislation, which outlaws performing gender transition procedures on minors–a variation of which has been adopted by 27 states so far. The first SAFE Act was passed in Arkansas in 2021 and over the past few years, our own Dr. Jennifer Bauwens has testified in multiple state legislatures and in Congress in support of this type of legislation.
Thankfully, this issue still has momentum around the country, including in the state of Utah. While the Beehive State passed a temporary moratorium on puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and so-called “gender-affirming” care for minors in 2023, new legislation was signed into law last Wednesday that bans these dangerous procedures outright.
Now is the time to keep pushing. That’s why FRC has been advocating for and working with lawmakers to craft policy that outlaws performing these dangerous and experimental procedures on minors at the federal level.
When you partner with us, you are serving as a prophetic voice in Washington, D.C. and across America–standing for biblical truth even when public opinion is still catching up.
Dylan’s story ended in tragedy. But there is still hope for the millions of other young minds held captive to spiritual darkness and the lies of LGBTQ ideology. Consider Sage Blair, one of the young women highlighted at the State of the Union Address last month.
As a high school freshman at the age of 14, Sage also began to question her gender. Her school counselors affirmed her dysphoria and began pushing for her to socially “transition” from female to male, encouraging her to use male pronouns and the boys’ bathroom. Like Dylan’s school, they concealed all of this from Sage’s parents.
After she was sexually assaulted in the bathroom, her mother finally learned what was happening. Confused, hurt, and afraid, Sage ran away from home only to fall victim to sex traffickers. When the FBI rescued her eight days later, outrageously, a judge in Baltimore refused to return her to her parents’ custody because they would not refer to her as a boy, claiming this constituted abuse.
This is how backwards morality can become when it is unmoored from God’s Word and defined by culture.
After this radical left-wing judge refused to return Sage to her parents, her mother, Michelle, joined us as a guest at FRC’s 2023 State of the Family Address, where FRC President, Tony Perkins, brought attention to Sage’s plight.
Thankfully, today, Sage has been rescued and has overcome her gender dysphoria. But she should never have had to endure what she went through.
A nation like ours that has been ravished by the onslaught of the lies of gender ideology has some wounds in need of healing. While we are thankful that many policies birthed by these lies have been slowed or halted, much damage has been done.
That is why FRC has produced a resource for people to find hope, healing, and recovery from the lie of gender ideology called Embracing God’s Design. Dr. Jennifer Bauwens teamed up with well-known survivor of the transgender lifestyle Walt Heyer to shed light on and try to bring healing to this area. With Dr. Bauwens’ mental health and scientific expertise, and Walt’s experience and powerful testimony, our prayer is that this resource will bring hope and healing to many. Will you consider helping us put it in the hands of more pastors, parents, and others across America? Perhaps it would even benefit you or someone in your family.
With your help we can continue to stay on the forefront of this and other issues–and prescribe biblical solutions that will always trump the lies of our culture.
Stories like Sage’s and Dylan’s are heartbreaking and difficult to comprehend. But tragically, they are not unique.
Across our nation, thousands of young men and women are being swept up in cultural lies–confused, wounded, and in desperate need of truth.
As Jesus declared in John 8:32, “…and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
That promise is why FRC remains steadfast. The only way to stay ahead of the shifting tides of culture is to remain anchored to the unchanging truth of God’s Word. We know it has the power not only to free those held captive by deception, but to restore hearts, families, and even the soul of our nation.
FRC is ahead of the curve–fighting for faith, family, and freedom on issues often unknown or hostile to popular culture. From working to end gender transition procedures for minors to outlawing abortion drugs, we are confident that history will vindicate our efforts.
Until then, we will continue proclaiming truth without apology and advancing policies that honor God–even if standing firm means standing alone.
