June 30, 2023

Friends,

The tide is turning on profit driven “gender-affirming care.”

Thirteen “youth gender clinics” within university hospitals across America may face closure by years-end due to state legislation restricting gender transition procedures on children.

We can say with confidence that Ochsner and Children’s Hospital in N.O. are (or were) providing “gender affirming care” to children, and Planned Parenthood has pivoted its “business” model to include hormone blockers.

Texas just became the 20th state to ban the removal of healthy organs or hormone injections for children experiencing confusion regarding their biological sex. Some university youth gender clinics have already scaled back their operations in response to these state laws.

So far: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia have moved to stop medical madness.

Louisiana is not on that list...yet! We did pass HB648, The Stop Harming Children act in the 2023 Legislative Session which bans chemical & surgical castration of children. Gov. Edwards has pledged to veto it.

We are hopeful Governor Edwards reconsiders; either way, a veto override session is expected. No one has the right to harm a child!

Call to Action -- Tell your Lawmaker: IF HB648 is VETOED OVERRIDE SESSION IS OBLIGATORY! Click Here to Take Action

Louisiana recently passed a law that allows for the issuance of "commemorative certificates" in cases of miscarriage. These certificates, similar to birth certificates, serve as a remembrance of the child and are intended to be offered to women who experience the loss of their preborn child at 20 weeks or earlier.

Doctors are encouraged to inform patients about their eligibility for this government-issued certificate. If the name and sex of the lost baby are known, they will be included on the miscarriage certificate, much like a birth certificate.

The measure received strong support in the Legislature, garnering a 97-5 vote in favor in the House and a 34-2 vote in the Senate.

This measure, among many others, recognize the humanity of the unborn and support couples who grieve the loss of a child.

SEE LFF’s 2023 Legislative Wins & Losses: https://www.lafamilyforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023wins-losses-final.pdf

Yesterday’s 6-3 U.S. Supreme Court decision held that “The First Amendment prohibits Colorado from forcing a website designer to create expressive designs speaking messages with which the designer disagrees.”

Justice Gorsuch wrote that “The First Amendment’s protections belong to all, not just to speakers whose motives the government finds worthy. The Nation’s answer is tolerance, not coercion. The First Amendment envisions the United States as a rich and complex place where all persons are free to think and speak as they wish, not as the government demands.”

The ruling in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis acknowledges the difference between disagreement and discrimination by distinguishing between serving all people and promoting all messages. Lorie Smith happily designs websites for all customers but cannot create messages that run counter to her deeply held beliefs. Her decision is based on the message, not the person. Today, the Court affirms that difference. 

Colorado attempted to force Smith to design wedding websites with a message she did not agree with. Our friends at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) successfully argued the case and now we are all freer for it.

Regardless of certain political or social issue beliefs, this ruling protects your right to disagree with government, while prohibiting discrimination-based traits of a particular person or group.

Friends, some on the Left argue that religious beliefs need to change in order to accommodate progressive gender ideology. UN expert Victor Madrigal-Borloz even claims that Christians are misinterpreting their own doctrine when it comes to human sexuality.

However, Truth is not subject to popular or so-called expert opinion. God’s word is eternal and unchanging, and the Church must influence, not be captured b culture. Stand firm in the Truth!

"We do not want a Church that will move with the world. We want a Church that will move the world." - G.K.Chesterton.

In His Service,

Gene Mills
President
Louisiana Family Forum

P.S. LFF's Leadership Academy just returned from Washington, D.C., and a journey through America's Spiritual Heritage. We were immersed in Biblical Worldview training at Family Research Headquarters, policy preparation at Heritage Foundation, the monuments, discussed and dined with Louisiana’s delegation in the historic Lincoln Room, played and prayed a lot and witnessed LSU’s historic GEAUXMAHA journey to the College World Series from co-operating restaurants!

Thank you to the sponsors who made this moment possible for an emerging leader….you have made an impact in a young life. For that we are so grateful!

Click here to Leadership Academy photos!