Ben Blanchet
Fri, March 10, 2023
A transgender high school student’s question for Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), who has rolled back protections for trans students during his administration, got a dodge for the ages in return at a CNN town hall event on Thursday night.
The student, who goes by Niko, noted how they’re a transgender man and pressed Youngkin on his anti-trans policies including those limiting trans students’ participation in athletics and their usage of bathrooms.
“Do you think the girls in my high school would feel comfortable sharing a restroom with me?” asked Niko.
Youngkin refrained from providing a yes or no answer and instead touted his belief in strong parent-children relationships.
“I believe first, when parents are engaged with their children, you can make good decisions together...I also think there are lots of students involved in this decision,” Youngkin said.
He then went on to call for extra bathrooms in school including gender-neutral facilities “so people can use the bathroom that they, in fact, are comfortable with.”
His policy on sports, the governor added, is clear and non-controversial as he dropped a brief summary of his policy and implied it’d conflict with progress made for “women in sports” otherwise.
“Again, I think these are very difficult discussions and I am very, very glad to see you and your dad here together,” said Youngkin as CNN’s cameras showed the two appearing to be disappointed by the response.
Youngkin, in response to questions from CNN’s Jake Tapper, later emphasized the role of parents in a child’s life and said the topic offered counselors, teachers and parents an opportunity to come together to deal with a difficult issue.
Twitter users noted Niko’s “dubious expression” and criticized Youngkin for his response.
Glenn Youngkin Defends Anti-Trans Legislation, Says Schools Just Need ‘Gender Neutral’ Bathrooms
Charisma Madarang
Thu, March 9, 2023
Glenn Youngkin Campaign Holds Election Night Event - Credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin offered a shallow solution to the state’s divided stance on public education and transgender policies during CNN’s town hall on Thursday. The Republican governor, whose administration’s guidelines ban transgender students from using bathrooms and competing in sports teams that do not match their gender assigned at birth, attempted to minimize the controversial new policies.
As Youngkin fielded questions from CNN’s Jake Tapper, parents, and educators, a 17-year-old student who identified as a transgender man asked, “Do you really think that the girls in my high school would feel comfortable sharing a restroom with me?” The governor circled around the question, and instead insisted that school’s needed “extra bathrooms” and “gender neutral” bathrooms, before arguing that “biological boys should be playing sports with biological girls.”
Youngkin, whose issued guidelines that require students to file legal documents in order to be called by different pronouns, has received backlash from transgender and equal rights advocates who argue that his recent policies limit the rights and protections of transgender children at school.
Charisma Madarang
Thu, March 9, 2023
Glenn Youngkin Campaign Holds Election Night Event - Credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin offered a shallow solution to the state’s divided stance on public education and transgender policies during CNN’s town hall on Thursday. The Republican governor, whose administration’s guidelines ban transgender students from using bathrooms and competing in sports teams that do not match their gender assigned at birth, attempted to minimize the controversial new policies.
As Youngkin fielded questions from CNN’s Jake Tapper, parents, and educators, a 17-year-old student who identified as a transgender man asked, “Do you really think that the girls in my high school would feel comfortable sharing a restroom with me?” The governor circled around the question, and instead insisted that school’s needed “extra bathrooms” and “gender neutral” bathrooms, before arguing that “biological boys should be playing sports with biological girls.”
Youngkin, whose issued guidelines that require students to file legal documents in order to be called by different pronouns, has received backlash from transgender and equal rights advocates who argue that his recent policies limit the rights and protections of transgender children at school.
The 56-year-old Republican gave the GOP hope when the party lost control of the White House and the Senate in 2021. His defeat of Democrat Terry McAuliffe marked only the second time a Democrat has lost a race for governor in the Virginia in the past 20 years, and the first since 2009. Although he declined to comment on a potential 2024 presidential run during Thursday’s town hall, his high-profile victory has some questioning if he will make a bid for the White House.
The longtime private equity executive tailored his campaign around hot-button issues like critical race theory, vaccine mandates, and transphobia in an effort to bait and drum up fear among the state’s moderate suburban voters.
Last September, the ACLU of Virginia responded to the reversal of school protections for transgender students. “We are appalled by the Youngkin administration’s overhaul of key protections for transgender students in public schools,” the group wrote on Twitter. “LGBTQ+ students already experience much higher self-harm & suicide rates because of the discrimination they face. This will only make matters worse.”
No comments:
Post a Comment