California’s new comprehensive health education curriculum includes sections about what it means to be LGBTQ so that even kids in kindergarten classes are aware that there are other identities out there even if they don’t fully understand what that means. It’s education, not indoctrination, obviously, since it’s not like kids turn gay upon hearing the word.

Still, anti-LGBTQ conservative commentator Dr. Michael Brown wants to encourage California parents to defy the law… by teaching their kids that transgender people don’t exist.

How brave.

In an article for Christian Post, Brown writes:

In good conscience, they must say NO to the school authorities and YES to the Lord. It’s time to declare to the schools of California, “Quit using our children as pawns in the culture wars! Quit sexualizing our kids!” … We’re talking about kindergarteners — little children just 5-6 years-old — being indoctrinated with transgender talking points. Indeed, “a book for kindergarten through third grade… teaches kids that they can be a boy, girl, neither, gender queer or gender fluid and that adults might not understand their gender identity.” Parents, say NO to your impressionable little ones being exposed to trash like this. How dare the school bring such confusion to your precious children.

The very book he links to doesn’t say kids get to choose their gender identity, only that those options exist. They may be cisgender or straight, but their classmates might not be. Better to understand that now instead of allowing those differences to lead to bullying down the line. That understanding is what Brown can’t understand.

These lessons aren’t advocating anything. Rather, because trans kids may not yet have the words to describe their identity, schools are providing age-appropriate lessons that basically explain 1) that trans people exist and 2) what that means. That’s it.

Bad parents are still entitled to teach kids that such identities are sinful, if they want. But simply creating awareness, as they do in California, isn’t some secret attempt to make children select their favorite gender identity before a pastor can put a stop to it.

Not that Brown can handle that nuance. He’s calling for parents to pull their kids from the classes in the name of God.

Now, across California, millions of other parents need to join together to say to the Nanny State: “No. You will not corrupt our children. You will not brainwash our little ones. You do not have the moral or spiritual authority to indoctrinate them. And if you refuse to listen to us, we will pull our kids out of your schools until you honor our demands.” … We send our kids to school to learn English and Math and History and Science, not to be instructed in the intricacies of anal sex. Enough is enough!

It’s ironic that the same people who can’t handle certain works of literature, who whitewash American history, and who treat science as a dirty word are now saying kids should be better educated in those subjects… and if you seriously think high school sex education involves discussing the “intricacies of anal sex,” then maybe you’re not the best person to speak out against the actually lessons.

This is just faith-based, hate-fueled fear-mongering. It’s the only subject in which Michael Brown is an expert.

