This commentary is by Gregory Thayer of Rutland. He is a candidate for lieutenant governor.

Seeing a group of Progressive Democrat members of the Vermont House introduce the H.659 bill filled me with various emotions from shock to disbelief to sadness. My next thought: the Democrat leadership needs to be stopped.

Here’s an excerpt from the proposed bill:

CHAPTER 233. ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE SERVICES15 § 9801. MINORS’ ACCESS TO NONSURGICAL, GENDER-AFFIRMING 16 CARE17:

A minor who identifies as transgender may give consent to receive hormone blockers and any other legally authorized nonsurgical, gender-affirming care or treatment from a licensed health care professional working within the health care professional’s authorized scope of practice. Consent under this section shall not be subject to disaffirmance due to minority of the individual providing consent. The consent of the individual’s parent or guardian shall not be necessary to authorize the minor’s access to legally authorized nonsurgical, gender-affirming care or treatment.

Gregory Thayer

This draft bill cites two studies: one is the 2021 Trevor Project, and the other is a 2019 survey titled, “Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey.” Both cite various statistics about the way LBGTQ high school students feel about their place in society compared to other students, primarily heterosexual students, and now, cisgender people.

There are so many things wrong with H.659, but for me the major stumbling block is that parents and guardians are left out of the discussion because Democrat politicians want it that way. If this bill passes, parents won’t have any say or rights in this process. Most likely, they won’t even know what’s being done to their underage kids — and we’re talking children as young as 6 or 8 years old here.

This is a life-changing decision and not something to be taken lightly. And to assume that elementary school kids know and can decide what’s best for them is preposterous, especially when you consider that puberty blockers irreversibly sterilize your children. Parents need to be able to step in and prevent spur-of-the-moment decisions that are pushed on the kids by “well-meaning” teachers and guidance counselors.

People pushing these puberty blockers on our children and grandchildren without parental consent or knowledge is a horrible idea, and against everything America stands for. What happened to the family as a building block of this country? What happened to elected Democrats’ respect for the family unit?

The Left used to believe in family values and in “It takes a village”… where did that thinking go? I have always subscribed to the concept that it takes a mother, a father, and a guardian, and the village in support for the family. The Democrat leadership is canceling and blocking Mom and Dad as teens and preteens experience harder times than ever.

Statistics show that suicide rates among transgender people are sky-high — and they’re not any lower for those who have “transitioned.” Our government schools are trying to take control of our children, actively working to eliminate parental rights. We must defeat H.659 and, by extension, Prop 5/Article 22, a proposed amendment to the Vermont Constitution that will be on the ballot in November and essentially do the same thing — taking parents out of their children’s lives.

I’ve been touring our state over the past year, hosting Critical Race Theory/Equity townhalls. Currently, I’m running symposiums, together with a dedicated team, on “Americanism vs. Marxism.” Marxist indoctrination spread through our public schools and colleges is at the root of all this evil, and the Vermonters for Vermont Initiative is working hard to expose it. During this work, I have talked with and listened to thousands of parents and grandparents across Vermont. I will never back-pedal on these issues, and as lieutenant governor, I will stand up and speak out against indoctrinating (and sterilizing!) little kids. To me, this is a form of child abuse, and these people ought to be held accountable for hurting our children.

How do we fight this bill?

First, we let every Vermonter know what is going on in Montpelier and at their local school and town boards.

Second, we must get good people elected to public office at the state and local levels, and in the U.S. Congress. This is the primary reason why I am running to be the next lieutenant governor of Vermont. Parents and guardians are not the problem. They are responsible for their children and want the best for them; they just need the truth. The people in the State House are not representing you — it’s all about their special interest groups in DC.

Please do your own research on this and watch what the Democrat leadership is doing to us in Montpelier and on your local schoolboards and town councils. We need you in the fight, and if you cannot run for public office, help candidates who are running. This issue is way too important to sit on the sidelines.