Chris Christie Doubles Down On Opposing Child Sex Change Procedure Ban
Mary Lou Masters on June 22, 2023
- Former GOP New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie doubled down Thursday and reiterated that he opposes government restriction of sex change procedures for minors.
- Christie’s opinion, that he first shared on Sunday, is one that a majority of Americans and nearly the entire Republican primary field for president disagree with.
- “It’s more of a parents’ decision than it is a governor’s decision for goodness sake,” said Christie. “I wouldn’t want any government official coming in and telling me what decisions can I help my child through and how I should do it, and I want those decisions to be made by parents, not by the government.”
Former Republican New Jersey Governor and presidential candidate Chris Christie doubled down on Thursday about his stance that he opposes bans on sex change procedures for minors.
Christie told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union” Sunday that he doesn’t think the government should regulate giving minors puberty blockers and hormones, and instead emphasized parental involvement. The former governor restated his opinion Thursday on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends,” even though a majority of Americans disagree.
“I just don’t want to see our government getting more intrusive in everybody’s life, getting bigger. I don’t think anything can replace parents when you are talking about major decisions that need to be made by our children,” Christie told host Brian Kilmeade. “I want all parents out there to think about something. How many other decisions do you want the government making for you, in your home, regarding your kids? I don’t want any of those decisions made by the government.”
“Parents are the ones who love their children the most, who care about their children the most, who understand their children the most, and parents should be the ones making these decisions,” Christie added.
A majority of Americans oppose sex change procedures for minors, with nearly 70% opposing puberty blockers for children 10 to 14, and almost 60% disapproving of children 15 to 17 receiving hormones, according to an early May Washington Post/KFF poll.
Kilmeade pushed Christie and asked if parents should be permitted to make a decision if their 14-year-old child approaches them about “switching genders,” and the former governor deflected by emphasizing parental rights. Christie then criticized Republican Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders for her state’s ban on such procedures and questioned if she should be “making this decision for children in Arkansas.”
“It’s more of a parents’ decision than it is a governor’s decision for goodness sake,” said Christie. “I wouldn’t want any government official coming in and telling me what decisions can I help my child through and how I should do it, and I want those decisions to be made by parents, not by the government.”
Christie’s opinion on sex change procedures for minors stands out in a crowded GOP primary field where many of his opponents disagree, including former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and conservative radio personality Larry Elder.
“Adults have the right to make whatever alterations to their own body that they choose, but children are too young to make this type of permanent, irreversible decision,” Elder told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “If Chris Christie can’t agree with that, he is running in the wrong party’s primary.”
Along with Hutchinson and DeSantis, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum signed legislation banning sex change procedures on minors, which Burgum said was “aimed at protecting children from the life-altering ramifications of gender reassignment surgeries,” according to The Associated Press.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who recently joined the presidential race, previously told the DCNF in an interview that while he doesn’t support sex change procedures for minors, he isn’t certain the government should be involved, though, he left the door open to legislation if president.
“Sex change for minors is something I just can’t even comprehend, as a parent,” Suarez said. “It’s problematic for Republicans because we say, I think correctly, that we don’t want the government telling us, or the school system telling us, or teaching sexuality to our young children. Right? And so, you know, that is a totally defensible position, and I believe that position and I agree with that position.”
Christie’s campaign declined the DCNF’s request for comment.
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