Virginia House Passes Bill Preventing Schools from Hiding Child ‘Gender Transition’

The Virginia House passed a bill Tuesday banning schools from hiding a child’s “gender transition” from their parents.

The measure, known as Sage’s Law, passed the House by a slim 50–48 Republican majority, while Democrats said the bill was “forcibly outing transgender students” and “just the latest example of a coordinated attack against transgender kids across our country,” according to the Washington Times.

If it were to become law, school employees would be required to notify parents if a child begins identifying as “a gender different from the student’s biological sex.”

It also ensures that the treatment of children as their biological sex is not considered neglect or abuse.

“Virginia law needs to be absolutely clear that affirming a child’s biological sex does not justify taking a child away from their family,” bill sponsor Del. Dave LaRock (R) said. “Teachers, school counselors, social service workers and courts must respect the parent’s fundamental rights in the parent-child relationship by involving parents immediately when a child is experiencing serious challenges.”

The bill is known as Sage’s Law because her mother, Michele, testified before the House in January about her daughter’s experience “transitioning” into a male.

The 14-year-old girl made the decision to go by a different name and pronouns after “all the girls there were bi, trans, lesbian, emo,” but Michele was never notified.

Michele said Sage was bullied in the boys’ restroom and ran away only to be a victim of sex trafficking in Washington, DC, and Baltimore, Maryland. The government put Sage in a male juvenile facility, where she was further assaulted and given drugs.

Sage’s parents were accused of abuse for “misgendering” their daughter.

Eventually, Sage escaped Maryland for Texas where she was “drugged, raped, beaten and exploited” before being returned to her parents.

“Sage says she doesn’t know who she was back then,” Michele said. “She wasn’t a boy. She just wanted to have friends.”

“But her school, the judge, the attorney and the doctor were all blinded by their ideology,” she continued. “The consequences for Sage were unspeakable. Please don’t let ideology harm another child. Let parents do our jobs. We know our children best and we love them a million times more.”

The bill will now go to the 22–18 Democrat-controlled Senate.

Breccan F. Thies is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow him on Twitter @BreccanFThies.