Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear insisted in a new ad Monday that he opposes sex changes for minors despite vetoing a bill banning transgender operation on kids in the state.
Kentucky Republicans revived a bill banning sex changes in March, combining legislation which requires parental notification of a child’s gender transition with the sex change ban. While Beshear vetoed the legislation, the legislature voted to override the veto in late March. (RELATED: Taxpayers Shell Out $20,000 For ‘Criminal Queerness’ Festival Pride Event)
“My position on this has always been clear,” Beshear said in a campaign ad released Monday. “I have never supported gender reassignment surgery for minors, and they don’t happen here in Kentucky.”
“My faith guides me as governor and as a dad,” Beshear continued. “I’m a deacon in my church and I believe that all children are children of God.”
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is pushing back against Republican efforts to cast him as an advocate of gender reassignment surgery for minors. https://t.co/xlEB1P5zLl
— LEX 18 News (@LEX18News) July 24, 2023
“When I took office, I vowed to support parents, because as parents, we know what’s best for our kids, not politicians in Frankfort or Washington.”
The state legislature’s decision to override Beshear’s veto was met with considerable opposition from activists in the state. Protesters chanted “Henry, Zachee, they should be with us today,” referencing Democratic Kentucky state Sen. Karen Berg’s son, Henry, who died by suicide in December 2022. Police reportedly arrested 19 people with trespassing.