The parental rights movement is a social conservative political movement aimed at restricting schools' ability to teach or practice certain viewpoints on gender, sexuality and race without parental consent.[1][2][3]

One of the aims of the movement is preventing schools from using the preferred pronouns or chosen names of transgender and non-binary youth without disclosing to or gaining permission from parents.[4] More broadly, it aims to prevent the teaching of LGBT issues in public schools without parents' agreement.[2] The parental rights movement was brought to mainstream attention with the passage of the Parental Rights in Education Act in Florida, colloquially known as the "Don't Say Gay" law, by governor Ron DeSantis. Since then, the movement has expanded across the US and Canada.[5][6]

Additionally, the parental rights movement has sought to increase parents' control over how children are taught about sexuality and race relations.[2]

Proponents of the movement have claimed that they aim to prevent indoctrination of children by LGBT activists.[7][4]

Opponents of the movement argue that parental rights legislation endangers children by possibly outing them to abusive guardians.[8][9][10]

Definition

Jen Gilbert, a professor at the University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education defined the movement as "a conservative movement to limit the influence of government in people's lives...more generally around the schooling, the parental rights movement has emerged as a movement to limit discussions of sexuality and gender in schools under the auspices of both protecting children and protecting parents' rights to raise children as they see fit".[3]

The phrase "parental rights" has been used by groups with a spectrum of political, social and religious affiliations.[3]

Media response

The parental rights movement is viewed by some commentators as a form of pushback by conservatism against wide-spread acceptance of LGTBQ+ individuals and issues more broadly.[1][11] It has been described as a far-right movement by Dan Lett of the Winnipeg Free Press and by progressive-leaning outlets Salon.com and Michigan Advance.[12][13][14]

The modern parental rights movement has been characterised by journalist Catherine Caruso as a resurgence of a similar movement in the 1990s.[15]

United States

Starting in 2020, parental rights activists in the United States have sought to regulate how race is taught in schools. Prompted by protests after the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, schools increasingly added antiracist texts to their curricula and diversity, equity, and inclusion measures to their policies and practices. Advocacy from the parental rights movement led to a backlash against those trends, and a wave of laws and regulations—often codified as anti-critical race theory rules—were passed in 2021. Legal scholar LaToya Baldwin Clark connects the 2020s activism to historical backlash from White parents to "contestations over race" like desegregation.[16]

Parental rights advocates have worked to restrict education on sex or sexuality since at least the 1990s. According to research by the Public Religion Research Institute, the movement's failure to substantially shift norms in public education led to many conservative Christian parents to withdraw their children from public schools and move to homeschooling or private schools.[17]

Florida governor Ron DeSantis brought the parental rights movement to mainstream attention after he signed the Parental Rights in Education Act.

In 2022, the US state of Florida passed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, regulating all public schools in the state. The law prohibits public schools from having "classroom discussion" or giving "classroom instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity from kindergarten through third grade or in any manner deemed to be against state standards in all grades; prohibits public schools from adopting procedures or student support forms that maintain the confidentiality of a disclosure by a student, including of the gender identity or sexual orientation of a student, from parents; and requires public schools to bear all the costs of all lawsuits filed by aggrieved parents."

Following its passage, Republicans in the House of Representatives introduced the Stop the Sexualization of Children Act, a bill largely based off of the act in Florida.

During the nomination of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson in 2022, senator Marsha Blackburn accused Jackson of having a "hidden agenda" to restrict parental rights and expand government reach into schools.[18]

As of 2023, 20 states have had their legislatures introduce derivative bills of the Parental Rights in Education Act, including Arizona,[19] Georgia,[20] Iowa,[21][22] Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan,[23] Missouri,[24] Ohio,[25] Oklahoma,[26] Tennessee, and South Carolina.[27][28] In April 2022, Alabama became the second state to pass a similar bill, with governor Kay Ivey signing House Bill 322, legislation which additionally requires all students to use either male or female bathrooms in Alabama public schools based on their biological sex. Some states have had similar provisions to Florida's law since the 1980s, though they were never called "Don't Say Gay" bills by critics until the 2020s.[29][30]

Many potential candidates for the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries made parental rights a major theme of their platform. Focusing on school literature with racial or sexual content, parental control over curriculum, and LGBT education, possible candidates like Glenn Youngkin, Ron DeSantis, and Donald Trump have endorsed the goals of the parental rights movement. Coverage in CNN has described this use of "parents' rights" as "an umbrella term for a host of cultural issues".[31]

Canada

In 2009, Alberta passed an act that—while enshrining the rights of sexual minorities—also included a provision that would give parents the option of pulling their children out of lessons when topics related to sex, religion, or sexual orientation were taught.[3] At the time it was referred to as a "parental rights clause".[32]

Prior to the start of the 2023 school year, the province of New Brunswick altered a policy affecting both formal and informal name changes at school, and the ability of students to choose their preferred pronouns. The revised Policy 713 (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Policy) denied students under the age of sixteen the right to make changes to their personal preferences without first receiving parental consent.[33] The province's Minister of Education, Bill Hogan, stated that the policy review which led to the changes had been prompted by complaints from parents.[34] The policy review was controversial, and along with concerns about Premier Blaine Higgs's leadership style, led to calls during the summer for a review of his leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick.[35] In response, the Christian conservative activist Faytene Grasseschi started a campaign called "Don't Delete Parents", encouraging people to sign a petition in support of Higgs, to pledge support for "pro-parent" political candidates, and to promote the idea that tax dollars should "follow the family" if parents chose to withdraw their children from the public school system in favour of home schooling or private schools.[36][37]

In the same year, Saskatchewan also introduced policy requiring parental consent for children who wished to change their names or pronouns in school and placing restrictions on sexual health education.[38] Following a judicial injunction against the policy, Premier Scott Moe announced that he would invoke the Constitution's Notwithstanding clause to override the decision and bring the policy into law.[39] On October 20, 2023, the government invoked the notwithstanding clause and passed the Parents' Bill of Rights.[40] A national Christian lobbying group called "Action4Canada" has taken credit for influencing the Saskatchewan Party government towards the policy.[41]

In September 2023, Ontario Premier Doug Ford accused school boards in the province of "indoctrinating" students on gender identity,[7] and stated that parents should be involved with decisions around pronoun use at schools.[4][42]

In the lead-up to the 2023 Manitoba general election in October 2023, the Progressive Conservative Party led by Heather Stefanson promised expanded parental rights in schools.[43] Stefanson's party was defeated by Wab Kinew's New Democratic Party.

Federally, Conservative Party of Canada members adopted a resolution to prohibit "medicinal or surgical interventions" for gender-diverse and transgender kids at the party's 2023 policy convention.[44] Party leader— and leader of the Opposition—Pierre Poilievre has said that schools should leave LGBT issues to parents.[45]

In 2023, the "1 Million March 4 Children" was a series of parental rights protests carried out in various cities throughout Canada.[46][47] The protesters included adults and students, who claimed that children were being exposed to inappropriate topics regarding sexuality and gender identity and that students in some Canadian schools were being encouraged by teachers to change their pronouns and get "body-altering surgery" without parental knowledge.[46][48] The protests drew significant counter-protests.[46][48]

Europe

France

In 2022, following the addition of a gender-neutral pronoun to French dictionaries, French Minister of Education Jean-Michel Blanquer insisted that it was “not the future of the French language” and banned its use in schools.[49][50][51]

Ireland

In Ireland, groups such as Irish Education Alliance and religious bodies such as the Catholic Secondary School Parents Association have opposed the government's introduction of mandatory education about gender identity, pornography, and sexuality, which they perceive as overriding the ethos and rights of parents and schools.[52]

Impact on LGBT children

Pro-LGBT students in New Brunswick, Canada conducting a walkout protest against parental rights movement induced changes to the province's Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity policy.

Critics of the parental rights movement include parents,[53] teachers,[54] students,[53][55] human rights groups,[56] and corporations.[57] They argue that policies which forcibly out LGBT children can be damaging or life-threatening to those with unsupportive families.[58][59] Such policies have garnered significant concern due to the claimed potential for adverse consequences, including emotional distress, harm to mental well-being, and life-threatening situations for those affected.[60][61]

A result of parental rights-focused policies is that forcibly outing individuals can exacerbate issues such as depression, anxiety, and self-esteem problems, potentially leading to long-term emotional scars and negatively impacting their overall quality of life.[62]

Additionally, critics highlight that the parental rights movement's insistence on parental control over a child's disclosure of their LGBT identity can perpetuate discrimination and prejudice. By prioritizing parental rights over a child's autonomy, these policies may inadvertently discourage open and honest communication within families, hindering the ability of LGBT youth to seek support or understanding from their loved ones.[63]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Bouie, Jamelle (28 March 2023). "Opinion | What the Republican Push for 'Parents' Rights' Is Really About". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Alfonseca, Kiara; Kekatos, Mary (14 September 2023). "Debate over 'parental rights' is the latest fight in the education culture wars". ABC News. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Benchetrit, Jenna (2023-09-23). "Where did the term 'parental rights' come from?". CBC News. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
  4. 1 2 3 Mulligan, Cynthia (11 September 2023). "Ford weighs in on boards telling parents about children's pronouns amid Greenbelt scandal". City News. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  5. ↑ Benchetrit, Jenna (4 April 2023). "How the parental rights movement resurged in response to trans inclusivity in classrooms". CBC. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  6. ↑ Mosleh, Omar (30 July 2023). "As two provinces limit pronoun changes in schools, what actually are parents' — and kids' — rights?". Toronto Star. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  7. 1 2 Cohen, Ben (10 September 2023). "Doug Ford takes aim at Ontario school boards over 'indoctrinating' students on gender identity". Toronto Star. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  8. ↑ Alam, Hina (12 June 2023). "New Brunswick child advocate offers critique of province's school LGBTQ policy". Toronto Star. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  9. ↑ Wamsley, Laurel (21 October 2022). "What's in the so-called Don't Say Gay bill that could impact the whole country". NPR. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  10. ↑ Taylor, Stephanie (31 August 2023). "Saskatchewan, New Brunswick naming changes means 'life or death' for trans kids: Ien". Toronto Star. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  11. ↑ Benchetrit, Jenna (8 April 2023). "How the parental rights movement resurged in response to trans inclusivity in classrooms". CBC. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  12. ↑ Watkins, Andra (8 June 2023). "Call the push for so-called Parent's Rights what it is: far-right authoritarian theocracy". Salon. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  13. ↑ Lett, Dan (15 September 2023). "Opinion: Tories' platform tilts precariously on 'parental rights'". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  14. ↑ King, Jon (11 September 2023). "Meet the parents who say their rights are ignored by the 'parental rights' movement ⋆ Michigan Advance". Michigan Advance. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  15. ↑ "The Parental Rights Movement Is History Repeating Itself - Dame Magazine". www.damemagazine.com. 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  16. ↑ Clark, LaToya Baldwin (May 2023). "The Critical Racialization of Parents' Rights". Yale Law Journal. 132 (7). Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  17. ↑ Schultz, Brooke (November 14, 2022). "EXPLAINER: The history behind 'parents' rights' in schools". AP News. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  18. ↑ Rahman, Khaleda (22 March 2022). "Marsha Blackburn Accused of Racism Over Ketanji Brown Jackson Questions". Newsweek. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  19. ↑ Migdon, Brooke (2022-09-30). "Arizona students protest new laws targeting LGBTQ+ community". The Hill. Archived from the original on 2023-01-14. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  20. ↑ "Georgia legislators introduce a Florida-style 'Don't Say Gay' bill". NBC News. 10 March 2022. Archived from the original on 2023-01-14. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  21. ↑ Ta, Linh (2023-01-12). ""Don't Say Gay" bill introduced by Iowa Republican leaders". Axios. Archived from the original on 2023-01-14. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  22. ↑ "Iowa Legislature - Senate File 2024". www.legis.iowa.gov. Archived from the original on 2023-01-14. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  23. ↑ Hope, Jamie A. (December 5, 2022). "Michigan bill mirrors Florida's Parental Rights in Education law". Michigan Capitol Confidential. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  24. ↑ ""Don't say gay" bill a hot issue in Mo". KFVS-TV. 25 April 2012. Archived from the original on 2023-01-14. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  25. ↑ "House Bill 616 | 134th General Assembly | Ohio Legislature". www.legislature.ohio.gov. Archived from the original on 2023-01-14. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  26. ↑ Rosa-Figueroa, Alex (27 April 2022). ""Don't Say Gay" law filed in Oklahoma". KSWO-TV. Archived from the original on 2023-01-14. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  27. ↑ "Session 124 - (2021-2022) - South Carolina Legislature". Archived from the original on 2023-01-14. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  28. ↑ "Not just Florida. Missouri and a wave of other states propose so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bills". KCUR 89.3 - NPR in Kansas City. 2022-04-11. Archived from the original on 2023-01-14. Retrieved 2023-01-14.
  29. ↑ "In some states, versions of 'Don't Say Gay' bills have been around for awhile". PBS NewsHour. 2022-04-21. Archived from the original on 2023-02-19. Retrieved 2022-11-14.
  30. ↑ "Alabama HB322 | 2022 | Regular Session". LegiScan. Archived from the original on 2022-11-14. Retrieved 2022-11-14.
  31. ↑ Orr, Gabby; Contorno, Steve (February 4, 2023). "Republicans elevate 'parental rights' as top issue while looking to outflank each other heading into 2024 | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  32. ↑ "Alberta bill enshrining parental rights moves to final reading". CBC News. 2009-05-27. Retrieved 2023-10-29.
  33. ↑ Ibrahim, Hadeel (23 August 2023). "N.B. digs in on rules for teachers and name, pronoun use of LGBTQ students". CBC. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  34. ↑ Cox, Aidan. "Complaints from parents, teachers prompted review of gender policy: N.B. education minister". CBC. Archived from the original on May 12, 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  35. ↑ Poitras, Jacques (14 July 2023). "Christian conservative group recruiting thousands to back Higgs". CBC News New Brunswick.
  36. ↑ Poitras, Jacques (18 July 2023). "No plans to let parents shift tax dollars out of public schools, N.B. premier says". CBC News New Brunswick.
  37. ↑ "3 Goals". Don't Delete Parents. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  38. ↑ Simes, Jeremy (22 August 2023). "Saskatchewan government says schools must seek parental consent for name, pronoun change". National Post. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  39. ↑ Alphonso, Caroline (28 September 2023). "Saskatchewan to invoke notwithstanding clause over school pronoun policy". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  40. ↑ Hunter, Adam (2023-10-20). "Sask. government passes Parents' Bill of Rights". CBC News. Archived from the original on 2023-10-20. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
  41. ↑ Simes, Jeremy (2023-09-08). "'We are not backing down': Premier Moe says legislation on parental rights coming this fall". CBC News. Archived from the original on 2023-09-09. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
  42. ↑ Aguilar, Bryann (8 September 2023). "Ford says it's important parents are informed about children's decisions amid debate over pronouns in schools". CP24. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  43. ↑ MacLean, Cameron (17 August 2023). "Manitoba PCs promise expanded parental rights in schools if re-elected". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  44. ↑ Taylor, Stephanie (9 September 2023). "Conservative grassroots vote against surgical, pharmaceutical care for transgender kids". CTV News. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on 10 September 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  45. ↑ Cullen, Catherine (28 August 2023). "Poilievre says schools should leave LGBTQ issues to parents". CBC. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  46. 1 2 3 "Hundreds show up at rallies for and against teaching gender diversity in B.C. schools". CBC News. September 20, 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  47. ↑ Mason, Corinne L.; Hamilton, Leah (2023-09-20). "How the 'parental rights' movement gave rise to the 1 Million March 4 Children". The Conversation. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  48. 1 2 "Cross-country rallies against 'gender ideology' in schools met with counter-protests". CTVNews. 20 September 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  49. ↑ Samuel, Henry; Luyken, Jörg; Badcock, James; Squires, Nick (7 June 2023). "In Europe the gender row isn't just over pronouns – it's the entire language". Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  50. ↑ "New volume on gender-neutral language sheds light on political controversy in France". UW News. 17 March 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  51. ↑ Cheng, Amy (18 November 2021). "A French dictionary added a gender-neutral pronoun. Opponents say it's too 'woke.'". Washington Post. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  52. ↑ O'Brien, Carl (6 February 2023). "Sharp division over teaching of gender identity and use of pronouns in updated sex education syllabus". The Irish Times. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  53. 1 2 "Florida Parents and Students Challenge "Don't Say Gay" Law as Harmful and Unconstitutional". Family Equality Council. March 31, 2022. Archived from the original on February 14, 2023. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  54. ↑ Anton, Jessie (5 September 2023). "Sask. teachers prepare to navigate new name, pronoun policy as school year begins". CBC. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  55. ↑ Vera, Amir; Alvarado, Caroll (March 7, 2022). "Florida students participate in massive walkout to protest the 'Don't Say Gay' bill". CNN. Archived from the original on November 3, 2022. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  56. ↑ Luneau, Delphine (March 28, 2022). "BREAKING: Human Rights Campaign, Equality Florida Vow to Fight for Full Repeal of Vile, Dangerous New Law Signed by Florida Governor DeSantis". Human Rights Campaign. Archived from the original on December 17, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  57. ↑ "Business Statement on Anti-LGBTQ State Legislation". Human Rights Campaign. Archived from the original on 2023-02-15. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
  58. ↑ "Transgender youth: 'Forced outing' bills make schools unsafe". AP NEWS. 2023-03-22. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  59. ↑ Austen, Andrea; Wellington, Adrian Alex (January 1995). "Outing: The Supposed Justifications". Canadian Journal of Law & Jurisprudence. 8 (1): 83–105. doi:10.1017/S084182090000309X. ISSN 0841-8209. S2CID 157003926.
  60. ↑ Diaz, Jaclyn (28 March 2022). "Florida's governor signs controversial law opponents dubbed 'Don't Say Gay'". NPR. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  61. ↑ "'Don't Say Gay' bill becomes law in Florida, banning sexual orientation instruction from K-3". CBC. 28 March 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  62. ↑ Kline, NS; Griner, SB; Neelamegam, M; Webb, NJ; Morales, JJ; Rhodes, SD (2022). "Responding to "Don't Say Gay" Laws in the US: Research Priorities and Considerations for Health Equity". Sexuality Research & Social Policy. 19 (4): 1397–1402. doi:10.1007/s13178-022-00773-0. PMC 9666954. PMID 36406660.
  63. ↑ Ibrahim, Hadeel (22 June 2023). "5 questions answered about the LGBTQ school policy debate". CBC. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
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