On Friday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine – who calls himself a Republican – signed an executive order that banned transgender surgery for children younger than 18 in any Ohio hospital or ambulatory center. That’s good, right? Wrong. This order was issued a week following the governor’s veto of sub-HB 68. The bill would have prohibited not only transgender surgery on children but also chemical castration, drugs that block puberty, and men playing women’s sports. The bill also contained a provision allowing women to sue men who harm them by participating in sports.
DeWine, in vetoing the SAFE Act for lack of evidence, repeated left-wing trans activists’ claims, claiming “I believe that this is ultimately about protecting human lives.” Parents have told me their children would not have survived and would be dead now. “They would have killed themselves when they were teenagers.”
He doesn’t seem to be concerned about suicide when it concerns the ban on irreversible mutilating surgeries for children with mental illness.
Ohio’s leaders and citizens reacted with a huge amount of anger. It is not clear if this had any impact on DeWine’s decision to ban trans surgery for children.
The order states:
The Ohio Department of Health is authorized to oversee all matters related to the preservation of life and health of Ohioans. Section 3722.06 of Ohio Revised Codes allows the Ohio Department of Health the authority to establish health, safety, and welfare standards for licensed hospitals. Section 3702.30 of Ohio Revised Codes permits the Ohio Department of Health the authority to establish quality standards for health facilities including ambulatory surgery facilities.
Yada, yada, yada. DeWine did the same tyrannical thing when he appointed Anthony Fauci as Ohio’s Covid czar, and together they trampled on individual liberties. Ohioans were told to stay at home, while children were banned from school and businesses were forced to close. Many of these businesses went bankrupt. The situation became so serious that the Ohio Legislature passed a law allowing it to cancel any governor’s health orders that lasted longer than 30 days.
DeWine has not learned anything from the COVID backlash he received, and that includes the Ohioans who were severely affected by his maniacal rule.
It appears that the legislature will override his sub-HB68 veto when they return to session on January 10. Even if the legislature votes to override it, the bill will still likely be challenged in court due to the vague language of Issue 1, which Ohioans approved last year at the polls. The bill was primarily focused on abortion rights but its wording can also be used in other areas. The document states that “Every individual has the right to make their own reproductive decisions.” This includes decisions about contraception, fertility treatments, whether to continue a pregnancy, miscarriage treatment and abortion.
Trans activists only need to cite the all-inclusive “but not limited” language to demand all possible “treatments” of transgenderism including mutilation. After Issue 1 was passed, I wrote the following:
Why did it pass? There are several reasons for its passage, including the poor messaging and lack of investment on the part of the pro-lifers, and the outright misinformation coming from the left. Mike DeWine was hardly bothered to oppose this amendment. He stayed out of the fray despite a career of defending unborn children. Why did he retreat? It’s hard to say. Like John Kasich, he may have presidential ambitions. (Please, don’t!) He believes that downplaying the abortion issue will help his career. He may have known it was a lost cause. He may be too old at this point to care. Unlike Virginia Gov. DeWine, Glenn Youngkin did not bombard the state with advertisements, rallies, and proclamations promoting GOP causes. The Left was able to create the narrative that women who miscarry would not be treated and rape survivors would have to carry their children to term if they vote no on Issue 1.
If the legislature overrides DeWine’s veto, the courts will likely overturn DeWine’s executive order as well as sub-HB68. Issue 1’s chickens will come home to roost eventually — and the legislature cannot do anything about it right now.
Do not misunderstand: God will not laugh at you. What one sows is what he will also reap. Children who hurt them will pay a heavy price. One day, we will all be called to account before God for our lives.
Jesus warned: “But whoever causes any of these children who believe in Me to sin, would rather have a millstone around their necks and drown in the depths of the ocean.” Pray that those who harm children, even the unborn ones, will repent and wake up.
