Youngkin Continues His Assault on LGBT Youths

If he could have his way - something that could happen if Democrats fail to retain control of the Virginia Senate in November - I suspect Glenn Youngkin would quickly move to turn Virginia into a mirror image of DeSantis' Florida.   In the meantime, Youngkin is doing all that he can to erase LGBT youths from Virginia's public schools and is quietly stripping away programs and resources that aid LGBT youth, including suicide prevention resources.  This effort is wrapped in the smoke screen of "parents' rights" that views children as chattel property of their parents who they are free to mistreat and abuse if children do not conform to their parents 12th century views of human sexuality and social views - a mindset pushed by religious extremists at groups like The Family Foundation, one of Virginia's most pernicious hate groups that descends from the "Massive Resistance" effort to block desegregation and which continues to peddle the discredited myth that sexual orientation is a "choice."  Never mind that all of the legitimate medical and mental health experts refute this myth.  Youngkin ignores the reality that (i) LGBT youth have a much higher suicide risk - often because of their parents - and (ii) 40% of homeless youth are LGBT usually because their homes are so toxic and non-accepting and seemingly wants to make matters for Virginia's LGBT youth.  All so that Youngkin can court the Christofascists within the GOP base.  A piece in the Washington Post looks at Youngkin's latest effort to harm LGBT youths in Virginia.  Here are highlights:

The administration of Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) quietly took down LGBTQ+ youth resources from a state website after a conservative media outlet questioned the links, records show, building on a pattern of removals derided by public health employees who say their work is being politicized.

Within hours of an inquiry from the Daily Wire, a dozen resources, including a live-chat online support group for teens, were removed from the state health department website at the direction of a Cabinet-level agency, according to emails obtained under the state’s open records law.

The presence of the materials — and their subsequent disappearance on May 31 — generated two headlines and a flurry of online reaction from conservative readers of the outlet, co-founded by right-wing commentator Ben Shapiro. The decision elicited concern from department leaders who had not been consulted and began emailing their higher-ups asking why this had happened — again

Youngkin’s administration has at least three times in the year and a half since he took office removed information from the website without consulting its own subject-matter experts, records show, stripping public health resources on abortions, sexual health and pregnancy among other issues as he remakes state policy after eight years of Democratic control.

Youngkin spokesperson Macaulay Porter framed the decision to remove LGBTQ+ youth resources as part of the governor’s emphasis on parents’ rights, a focus that helped him win in 2021 amid politically charged grievances over critical race theory, . . . the history of systemic racism that teachers have said is not in Virginia public schools’ curriculum.

“In Virginia, the governor will always reaffirm a parent’s role in their child’s life. Children belong to their parents, not the state,” Porter said in a statement. . . . Sexualizing children against a parent’s wishes doesn’t belong on a taxpayer supported website.”

Discussions about children’s sexuality and gender identity have been at the heart of a conservative backlash to LGBTQ+ rights this year, with commentators and far-right agitators claiming that gay and transgender people are “grooming” children by, for example, holding story time while dressed in drag, or allowing children to discuss gender identity in school.

The Daily Wire inquiry was mainly focused on two programs: Queer Kid Stuff, a resource for children and families that launched its video series in 2016 with a piece exploring the question, “What Does Gay Mean?” and Q Chat Space, which offers live, facilitated chats for LGBTQ+ teenagers. Neither site requires adult permission to use, which some conservatives say they find troubling but LGBTQ+ experts say is essential for youth who need support and are not comfortable bringing their questions to a family member.

[P]arents are not the enemies,” said Todd Gathje, a lobbyist for the Family Foundation, which has advocated against LGBTQ+ rights.

The LGBTQ+ rights group Equality Virginia called taking down the resources “craven and politically motivated.”

“This is part of a pattern with this administration, where it’s more important to appeal to an anti-LGBTQ+ political base rather than serve LGBTQ+ Virginians in any capacity,” Narissa Rahaman, executive director of Equality Virginia, said in a statement.

The three documented instances when Youngkin officials have removed online public health resources involve the same office in the Virginia Department of Health, records show: the Office of Family Health . . . Employees in that division in 2022 told The Washington Post that their work on maternal health disparities had been dismissed by Youngkin’s first health chief, Colin Greene, who in comments to them and to The Post questioned the role of structural racism in public health. The Democratic-controlled Senate in February ultimately ousted Greene . . .

I’m very concerned that staff were directed to remove the webpage without engaging [subject matter experts] in response to a politically motivated inquiry, yet again.”

The first came in February 2022, when Greene directed the manager of the web team remove from the sexual health FAQ page the question, “Where can I learn more about sexual health and pregnancy/STI prevention?” and the answer that recommended an online chatbot powered by Planned Parenthood and two other sites with information catered toward teenagers, records show.

Upon learning of the Daily Wire questions, two subject-matter experts, including Yeatts, floated a draft reply that said “VDH’s webpage includes information for all people, including transgender youth, and strives to include information consistent with best public health practices,” adding: “LGBT people are at increased risk for violence.” . . . . Walker Harris wrote back saying that because her team manages the content on the website, she hoped their “subject matter expertise” would be considered in an agency response. . . . Records indicate the response was never sent. 

Sadly, for many LGBT youths their parents are the enemy and young lives may well be lost do to Youngkin's removal of resources in an effort to please the ugliest elements of the GOP base and the "Christian Taliban" at The Family Foundation.