By Lindsay Kornick. Media: Fox News.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre alarmed Twitter users on Wednesday after insisting that the decision to receive gender treatments should be made by a child along with their parents.
During the latest press conference, Washington Examiner writer Philip Wegmann asked Jean-Pierre about President Bidenās position on puberty blockers and gender transition surgeries for minors after Indiana recently passed a law banning both procedures.
“Today Indiana just banned puberty blockers, hormone therapies, and gender transition surgeries for minors. Iām wondering what the presidentās reaction is to the Indiana governor signing that bill into law. And does the president have a position on at what age these kinds of therapies and surgeries are appropriate?” Wegmann asked.
“Thatās something for a child and their parents to decide, itās not something we believe should be decided by legislators. So Iāll leave it there,” Jean-Pierre responded.
Social media users reacted in disgust by the suggestion that the White House supports gender transition surgeries for minors based on a childās decision.
“But not any therapy that offers any option other than affirmation and transition,” conservative personality Chad Felix Greene remarked.
But not any therapy that offers any option other than affirmation and transition. https://t.co/QVgUe8pMNd
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) April 5, 2023
OutKick podcast host Dan Dakich asked, “Then why not smokes and alcohol?”
Then why not smokes and alcohol? https://t.co/A1QiLrbLsm
— Dan Dakich (@dandakich) April 5, 2023
Columnist David Marcus wrote, “The official position of the White House is that if a 5 year old boy decides he wants his penis removed, and the parent agrees, then itās none of our business and should be perfectly legal.”
The official position of the White House is that if a 5 year old boy decides he wants his penis removed, and the parent agrees, then itās none of our business and should be perfectly legal. https://t.co/3KNXpyGH4a
— David Marcus (@BlueBoxDave) April 5, 2023
“Pure evil. Child sex changes. This is madness,” legal commentator Dennis Noel Kavanagh tweeted.
Pure evil. Child sex changes. This is madness. https://t.co/SGxsqw8qS3
— Dennis Noel Kavanagh (@Jebadoo2) April 5, 2023
Canadian blogger Samuel Sey commented, “Democrats hate your children and the God who created them.”
Democrats hate your children and the God who created them. https://t.co/x6lv0147G2
— Samuel Sey (@SlowToWrite) April 5, 2023
“Suddenly parents matter,” Independent Womenās Forum analyst Julie Gunlock noted.
Suddenly parents matter. https://t.co/3zGMPBuLwy
— Julie Gunlock (@JGunlock) April 5, 2023
Travel Pulse CEO Mark Murphy agreed, “The child? And I thought Dems donāt want parents involved in that decision?”
The child? And I thought Dems donāt want parents involved in that decision?
— Mark Murphy (@murphytravels) April 5, 2023
“Joe Biden thinks kids should be able to get their genitals chopped off at any age. This is bats— insane,” radio host Clay Travis tweeted.
During the press briefing, Jean-Pierre reiterated Bidenās support for the transgender youth.
“In the past couple of months, we have seen a record number of LGBTQI bills ā anti-LGBTQI bills, more than 600 of them have been filed in statehouses and a significant number of them have been anti-trans bills targeted at youth. And this is a president that has said these are some of the bravest people he knows. But no one should have to be brave just to be themselves,” Jean-Pierre said.
She added, “And so, this is a president that has committed to this community, that has been committed to our kids in the trans community, to our trans youth, and he is going to continue to fight for them. But again, Iām just going to leave it there.”
Jean-Pierre previously received backlash on Friday after insisting that the transgender community was “under attack” just days after a transgender shooter killed three children and three adults at a Christian school in Nashville.