In a recent CNN town hall event, Republican presidential candidate Mike Pence found himself at a loss for words when confronted with his conflicting stance on LGBTQ+ issues. While emphasizing the importance of parental rights in one instance, Pence appeared to contradict himself when discussing gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
During the event, Pence vehemently spoke out against gender-affirming care, drawing applause from the conservative audience. However, CNN host Dana Bash challenged Pence’s stance, highlighting his firm advocacy for parental rights in other contexts. She questioned whether parents, in conjunction with medical professionals, should be allowed to make decisions regarding gender transition for their children.
Pence struggled to provide a coherent response to Bash’s pointed question, deflecting the topic by discussing a purported “radical gender ideology” prevalent in schools and universities. His attempt to sidestep the issue failed to address the fact that many parents of transgender children actively support their children’s identities.
The concept of “parental rights” has been invoked by anti-LGBTQ+ activists in recent years as a means to undermine LGBTQ+ equality. Such activists argue that parents have the authority to shield their children from knowledge about LGBTQ+ existence, often utilizing this rhetoric to support discriminatory legislation. This ideology extends beyond LGBTQ+ issues, encompassing areas such as opposition to vaccinations and critical race theory, wherein parents assert a right to control their children’s education and access to information.
The narrative propagated by the right, including prominent figures like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, suggests that schools, social media, and doctors are coercing children into becoming transgender. However, the reality is that many parents are supportive of LGBTQ+ youth, including parents of transgender children who have been actively engaged in opposing legislative efforts to ban gender-affirming care for trans youth.
As the 2024 presidential race unfolds, Mike Pence’s inconsistency on LGBTQ+ matters is likely to draw increasing scrutiny. The tension between parental rights and gender-affirming care remains a complex and divisive issue, with implications for the rights and well-being of transgender youth across the nation.