Hours after former Vice President Mike Pence officially announced his candidacy for president, he joined CNN’s Dana Bash for a town hall event where he was asked questions on a variety of topics by both Bash and a live studio audience. Among the issues asked was whether Pence would let parents get their children sex change surgeries in the name of parental rights.
“I want to ask you about another issue related to this, and that is about what's going on in some legislatures,” Bash started off asking. “Some Republican-controlled states have banned transgender children from receiving gender-affirming care, even with the consent of their parents.”
“You talk a lot about parents' rights. You do it on the campaign trail,” Bash said in an attempt to make Pence look hypocritical. “So why do you believe it's the government's role to overrule what parents decide is best for their own children in this case?”
“I strongly support state legislation, including as we did in Indiana, that bans all gender transition chemical or surgical procedures for kids under the age of 18,” Pence responded.
Bash interjected to ask: “what if their parents support that?”
“There is a reason why you don't let kids get a tattoo before they're 18,” Pence correctly noted.
Attempting to be obnoxious and difficult, Bash huffed: “I don't think the government regulates tattoos.”
Pence immediately shut her down: “When you're talking about something that is absolutely transformational, and that we know from mental health experts more often than not has profound negative deleterious effects on people in the long-term."
"I think at minimum, it is proper for state governments and state officials to simply say, whatever, however adults want to live, they can live, but for children, we're going to protect kids from the radical gender ideology and say no chemical or surgical gender transition before you're 18," Pence added.
Pence is far too kind to Bash in his answers. The proper response to her question is that it's not tolerant or helpful to children suffering from gender dysphoria to go agree with them that they are the opposite sex. They need proper psychological treatment to help them get through their issues.
Affirming a child who claims to be the opposite sex is no different than agreeing with an anorexic child when they tell you that they're fat.
This biased town hall event on CNN was made possible by Aleve. Their information is linked.
To read the transcript click “expand”:
CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall
6/7/2023
9:49:06 p.m. EasternDANA BASH: Sir, I want to ask you about another issue related to this, and that is about what's going on in some legislatures. Some Republican-controlled states have banned transgender children from receiving gender-affirming care, even with the consent of their parents. You talk a lot about parents' rights. You do it on the campaign trail.
MIKE PENCE: I do.
BASH: You've done it before. You just did it now. So why do you believe it's the government's role to overrule what parents decide is best for their own children in this case?
PENCE: Well, I strongly support state legislation, including as we did in Indiana that bans all gender transition chemical or surgical procedures for kids under the age of 18.
BASH: So what if their parents support that?
PENCE: I hear you. I hear you. But on this one, I got to tell you, Dana, and I'm talking as a father, and I'm talking as a grandfather right now, look, there is a reason why you don't let kids get a tattoo before they're 18, right. Because those of us that have been parents know that before they're 18, I don't want to say anything. My kids are watching. But, you know. They think you're an idiot for everything.
BASH: But, I don't think the government regulates tattoos.
PENCE: Look, I'm just telling you. When you're talking about something that is absolutely transformational, and that we know from mental health experts more often than not has profound negative deleterious effects on people in the long-term, I think at minimum, it is proper for state governments and state officials to simply say, whatever -- however adults want to live, they can live, but for children, we're going to protect kids from the radical gender ideology and say no chemical or surgical gender transition before you're 18.
