The California AB1955 bill was passed in the legislature earlier this month and is now awaiting the governor’s signature to become law. Various community organizations and parents have been calling the governor to veto the bill. On Friday, in a press conference before attending the Republican National Convention, prominent Chinese American lawyer Liu Longzhu, a Republican candidate for the 49th district of the state assembly, urged more parents to speak out against the bill.
AB1955 includes several provisions, one of which prohibits teachers from informing parents when a student displays signs of being transgender, citing the protection of LGBTQ students as the reason. Opponents argue that as the primary guardians of children, parents have the right to be informed about any issues related to their child’s health and well-being.
If AB1955 is passed, what problems could it bring? Liu Longzhu stated, “First, if your child attends a California public school and the teacher discovers that they have LGBTQ tendencies or the child requests a gender transition, the teacher is legally obligated not to inform the parents. Second, on this issue, the teacher is legally bound to lie to parents.”
Liu Longzhu believes that this is a reckless and dangerous move because the bill essentially treats parents as enemies of their children. “They can tell the teacher, tell their classmates, tell the school’s lunch lady, but they are prohibited from telling the parents,” he said.
He analyzed the mindset of the legislators: first, they believe they know a lot about children, and second, they care a lot about children. Both of these points are wrong. He questioned, “What gives you the right to say you care more about their children than their parents?” He added, “You think you know what’s best for children, but you don’t even know these children, and you cannot possibly care for them.”
“Who cares the most, loves their children the most?” Liu Longzhu passionately asked. “Who goes through wind and rain every day, may even have to work overtime or drive for Uber just to give their children a better life. The ones who care the most for their children are the parents, not you!”
Liu Longzhu asked the lawmakers supporting the bill, “What gives you the right to say that parents must be against, discriminate, or harshly punish their children? No! That’s wrong.”
According to Liu Longzhu, as per logic, if a child wants to change gender or transition, they can do so at the age of 12 or 13; however, there is a California law that prohibits drinking alcohol before the age of 21. He questioned, “Why is alcohol consumption restricted so severely? Because there is a concern that underage individuals may behave recklessly after drinking. But for a life-altering decision such as transitioning, why should adolescents in their teens make decisions without informing their parents?”
Attorney Deng Hong, who supported Liu Longzhu at the event, stated that AB1955 is not about protecting LGBTQ rights but rather turning LGBTQ into a privilege. He emphasized that what they are seeking is equal protection, not giving privileges just because of someone’s sexual orientation, and that basic parenting rights are being stripped away from parents.
Deng Hong argued that both California state laws and federal laws empower parents with the responsibility of raising their children. Parents have the right and responsibility to guide their children through the stages of immaturity and different thoughts during their growth, but AB1955 deprives parents of the opportunity and right to educate and support their children.
“Once a child transitions, do they have a chance to go back at 30 or 40? The human body is not a game,” said Deng Hong. He emphasized that children who grow up immersed in video games may act impulsively, knowing they can start over in the game, but the body does not work that way. He questioned, “Is this the values we want our children to learn when this law requires teachers to lie to parents about a student’s sexual orientation?”
Considering that the Asian American community representatives in the legislature all voted in favor, Deng Hong suggested that when choosing representatives for the community, people should elect candidates who truly understand and represent the community’s interests and consider parents’ rights.
As a lawmaker, how can one truly be accountable to the voters? Liu Longzhu stated that if elected, he would notify all media outlets and inform them about important proposals and how he plans to vote on them. “This way, everyone will know, and this is the true essence of democratic politics,” he said.
Looking at the text of AB1955, the proposers cited various studies, such as the 2018 “Protective Factors Among Transgender and Gender Variant Youth: A Systematic Review by Socioecological Level,” to justify the bill as aiming to provide better educational outcomes for these youth and protect teachers and staff from facing retaliation or adverse employment situations while safeguarding student privacy.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Democratic supporters of the bill believe that legislation is necessary to protect transgender elementary and middle school students who may feel unsafe at home and unable to confide in their parents about their changes. Democrats also highlighted the high bullying and suicide rates among transgender youth.
During the debates leading up to the vote in the Assembly, the arguments between supporters and opponents were intense. Ultimately, AB1955 passed in the Senate with an overwhelming vote of 29 to 8. Governor Newsom needs to make a decision on the bill before Monday, and he has already indicated that he will not veto it. Prior to this, Newsom and the Democrats have been in conflict with school district boards over parental notification policies.
Liu Longzhu and Deng Hong urged Chinese American parents to call Governor Newsom and voice the concerns of the Chinese community. They also hoped for more Chinese Americans to register as voters and actively participate in the voting process. “If you do not sit at the table, you will end up on the menu,” Deng Hong said.