On Friday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who claims to be a Republican, signed an executive order banning transgender surgeries for children under the age of 18 at any Ohio hospital or ambulatory facility. That's good, right? Wrong. The order comes a week after the governor vetoed sub-HB 68, a bill that not only would have banned transgender surgeries on children, but also would have outlawed chemical castration, puberty blockers, and men participating in women's sports. It also included a provision that would allow recourse for women harmed by men participating in their sports.
When he vetoed the SAFE Act, DeWine parroted left-wing trans activists, claiming, without evidence, "Ultimately, I believe this is about protecting human life. Many parents have told me that their child would not have survived, would be dead today. They would have taken their life when they were teenagers."
Apparently, he isn't worried about suicide when it comes to banning mutilating irreversible surgeries for mentally ill children.
The blowback from Ohio leaders and citizens was enormous. It's not clear whether that had any effect on DeWine's decision to ban trans surgeries for kids.
The order reads, in part:
WHEREAS, although I vetoed Substitute House Bill 68, I stated clearly in my Veto Message that I agreed with the General Assembly that no gender transition surgeries should be performed on anyone under the age of 18 and I directed agencies under my purview to draft rules to ban this practice in Ohio; and WHEREAS, the Ohio Department of Health has drafted rules that would prohibit gender transition surgeries on anyone under the age of 18 in Ohio’s hospitals and health care facilities, including ambulatory surgical facilities; and WHEREAS, these rules are necessary to protect Ohio’s children and families; and WHEREAS, Section 3701.13 of the Ohio Revised Codes authorizes the Ohio Department of Health to supervise all matters relating to the preservation of the life and health of the people of Ohio; and WHEREAS, Section 3722.06 of the Ohio Revised Code authorizes the Ohio Department of Health to promulgate rules establishing health, safety, welfare, and quality standards for licensed hospitals; and WHEREAS, Section 3702.30 of the Ohio Revised Code authorizes the Ohio Department of Health to promulgate rules establishing quality standards for health care facilities, including ambulatory surgical facilities... [Emphasis added]
Yada, yada, yada. This is the same tyrannical stunt DeWine pulled when he appointed himself Ohio's Covid Czar and, along with Anthony Fauci, proceeded to trample on individual liberties. Children were kept out of school, businesses, many of which went bankrupt, were ordered closed, and Ohioans were ordered to remain in their homes. It got so bad that the Ohio legislature eventually passed a bill giving it the authority to cancel any health orders from the governor that lasted more than 30 days.
DeWine clearly learned nothing from the Covid blowback he received — not just from the legislature, but from Ohioans, who suffered greatly under his maniacal reign.
The good news is that it looks like the legislature is poised to override his veto of sub-HB 68 when it comes back into session on Jan. 10. The bad news is that even if they do vote to override the bill, it will likely face court challenges based on the loose language in Issue 1, which Ohioans approved at the ballot box last year. It was mostly focused on abortion rights, but the wording is so vague that it can be applied to other areas as well. It states, in part, that "Every individual has a right to make and carry out one's own reproductive decisions, including, but not limited to decisions on" contraception, fertility treatment, continuing one's own pregnancy, miscarriage care, and abortion. [Emphasis added]
All trans activists need to do is cite that all-encompassing "but not limited to" language to demand any and all "treatments" for transgenderism, including mutilation of minors. I wrote this after Issue 1 passed:
Why did it pass? A number of reasons, including poor messaging and investment from the pro-life side and outright disinformation from the Left. Mike DeWine could hardly be bothered to oppose the amendment, mostly staying out of the fray after a whole career spent defending the lives of unborn children. Why did he back off? Hard to say. Maybe, like John Kasich before him, he has presidential ambitions (please, no!) and thinks downplaying abortion will further his career. Maybe he knew it was a losing cause. Maybe he's just too old to care at this point. Unlike Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, DeWine didn't barrage the state with ads, rallies, and proclamations to promote GOP causes. So the Left got to write the narrative: If you vote No on Issue 1, women who miscarry will not receive care, and rape victims will have to carry their babies to term.
Ultimately, the courts will likely overturn both DeWine's executive order and sub-HB 68 if the legislature overrides the veto. The chickens of Issue 1 will eventually come home to roost — and there's nothing the legislature can do about it now.
But make no mistake: as the apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians, "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap." There will be a price to pay for those who harm children. We will all stand before God one day and give an account of our lives.
Jesus warned, "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea." Pray for repentance of those who do evil to children, including the unborn, and pray that Americans will wake up to the great atrocities being committed in the name of "rights," "equity," and "freedom."
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