As you well know, the political left has been slowly and rather aggressively pushing a few rather disturbing ideas over the last few years.
The first of which is abortion, although that’s really been a hot topic for more than a few decades now. The other concern regards gender identity and the ability for an individual to completely change their gender in life-altering surgeries and or by using hormone therapy.
Luckily, in a growing number of states, such as Arizona, legislative bills are being signed to ensure that if these “procedures” are done, it is only done under certain circumstances.
Take Arizona’s Senate Bill 1164, for example.
This, along with a bevy of others, was signed into law on Wednesday by Republican Governor Doug Ducey.
According to KTAR-FM’s summary of the bill, it basically bans all abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, when an unborn child is thought to be able to experience pain. While a mother cannot be prosecuted for getting an abortion after this time frame, the doctor who performs it can be – possibly receiving felony charges and having their medical license revoked.
Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, say when a pregnancy is putting the mother at risk of serious injury or death.
In his approval of the law, Ducey wrote, “In Arizona, we know there is immeasurable value in every life – including preborn life.”
Of course, those like Democrat Secretary of State Katie Hobbs disagrees. Instead, she considers the law to be an act of “extremism” and a “giant step backward” for women’s rights, according to The Associated Press. Wait, so because I value the life of my unborn child, I am somehow an extremist and against women’s rights? I think not.
But I digress…
Similarly, Democrats are not very fond of Senate Bill 1138, which was also signed on Wednesday by Ducey. According to the press release, this one protects Arizona’s youth from getting life-altering gender reassignment surgeries until after they are at least 18 years of age.
Children who think they want a gender identity change will not be banned from taking puberty blockers or having hormone therapy. However, they will be unable to surgically change their body until they are deemed an adult and therefore old enough to make such life-altering decisions for themselves.
As Ducey says, “The reason is simple” and full of “common sense.” I mean, if we don’t let citizens vote, go to war, own a firearm, or even buy cigarettes until they are 18, why on Earth would we let them be able to forever change their bodies?
Besides, as Ducey points out, those surgeries forever alter the ability to have children of their own later in life. And what child really understands the desire of parenting at such a young age? I sure as hell know that my 14-year-old doesn’t.
It also ensures that such surgeries are not done just because a misguided parent or legal guardian has decided for the child.
The last of Ducey’s most high-profile bills on Wednesday is Senate Bill 1165, which essentially separates public schools and university sports teams based on biological sex only.
As we have seen in a number of recent cases, biological males who claim a gender change, whether surgical or not, have been allowed to compete with and against biological females, who in most cases are not on the same level physically. As a result, these males have been able to outperform and defeat their female counterparts, taking home trophies and titles that should go to women.
Ducey and his lawmakers want to make sure that those type of situations doesn’t happen in their state and that every female athlete is given “a level playing field to compete.”
It’s important to note that while some other states have implemented similar laws protecting girls’ sports at the middle and high school levels, this one goes above and beyond that to include women at the college and university level as well.
All in all, I’d say Wednesday was a massive win for life and our youth in the state of Arizona, even if the political left doesn’t see it that way.
