Althea Dunscombe: Parents should still have a say in medical care for their kids

To The Daily Sun,

This week the president released a series of documents “encouraging gender-reassignment surgery and hormone treatments for minors”; I believe the operative word here is “minors”. Have we changed the laws such that parents no longer need to grant permission for medical treatment of their children? They are calling it gender affirming care but it is not the right of Health and Human Services or the schools – it’s the parents. As usual, a good idea is carried way beyond reasonable limits by our government.

He also had harsh words for Florida’s new parental rights law. Regardless of a previous report in The Sun, it is not the “Don’t Say Gay” bill; it’s about parental rights as to what is taught or discussed in Kindergarten through 3rd grade. With the United State’s low ranking (below 24th) in education worldwide, I believe we should be concentrating on math, science and reading in our schools. Somehow, authorities seem to believe that parents have given up the right to raise their children, see to their education and medical treatment.

I understand the difficulties faced by individuals who struggle with their identity. But minor children should be allowed to be children or shall we lower the age of consent to seven, maybe five?

How did we get here? We have gone from overlooking evil, to permitting it, then legalizing it, promoting it and celebrating it. Now, we persecute those who still call it evil. This type of interference in our children’s lives is evil.

Althea Dunscombe

Center Harbor