New legislation in the deep-blue Golden State could, if passed, not only normalize social gender transitions for adults but require judges to override parents who object to their children’s transitions. California Assembly Bill (AB) 1084, introduced by state legislator and Democratic caucus chairman Rick Zbur, would shorten the time between when a transgender-identifying Californian seeks a legal name change to align with his or her “gender identity” and when a court must issue an order granting the name change. Current law places the process at about six weeks and requires a hearing during which others can object to the gender transition. Zbur’s bill would shorten the legal process to two weeks and eliminate the hearing.

The legislation would also do away with a hearing for a child who seeks to legally change his or her name as part of a gender transition, provided all living parents agree to the name change. A hearing would only take place if at least one parent objects to the name change and “shows good cause for opposing the name change.” The bill stipulates, “Objections based solely on concerns that the proposed change is not the petitioner’s actual gender identity or gender assigned at birth shall not constitute good cause.” In other words, a judge would be required to legally change a child’s name if a parent’s objection is based on objection to the gender transition itself.

In comments to The Washington Stand, California Family Council Vice President Greg Burt said, “At its core, AB 1084 undermines the fundamental principle that parents — not bureaucrats or politicians — are best positioned to care for and guide their own children.” He observed, “While the bill pays lip service to parental involvement by requiring joint approval for name and gender changes of minors, it simultaneously strips parents of meaningful authority by disqualifying any objections rooted in biological reality or deeply held religious beliefs.”

“Biological sex is not ‘assigned at birth.’ It is an objective, observable, and immutable trait. For the state to mandate that only gender-affirming views are valid in these decisions is not just discriminatory — it’s tyrannical,” Burt continued. He asked, “Are parental rights only recognized if parents submit to the state’s radical gender ideology? That’s the alarming implication of this bill.”

Psychologist and Northwestern University Professor Dr. J. Michael Bailey told TWS, “I do not think evidence supporting youth gender transition supports taking away parental rights on this matter. In California, particularly, activist practitioners have exaggerated the pro-transition evidence.” He pointed out, “Responsible bodies (most famously the U.K.’s Cass Review, and more recently the U.S. HHS) have not found the risk-benefit ratio to be favorable at this point.” Bailey said that while more moderate-minded psychologists might argue that childhood gender transitions may be beneficial in rare cases, “this is not yet proven (to even a modest scientific standard). Furthermore, we cannot identify which youth are most likely to benefit.”

“The rapid degree to which clinical conventional wisdom changed from ‘If a child wants to change sex, let’s see if we can help them become more comfortable with their original sex, and if they don’t, they can transition when they’re adults’ to ‘Children know their gender identities from an early age, and we should help them become the sex they desire to be’ was based on ideology and bad science,” the psychologist emphasized.

To combat that ideology and prevent it from becoming institutionalized, Burt called on Californians to voice their opposition to the radical legislation. “Unless citizens raise their voices en masse — particularly parents, pastors, and people of faith — this bill is likely to pass in a legislature overwhelmingly dominated by lawmakers who view parental dissent on gender issues as a form of abuse,” he said. He added, “But we are not without hope or recourse. AB 1084, if enacted, will face robust legal challenges. This bill is not only wrong — it is destined to fall.”