We are AGAINST AB 495

Title: AB 495 Hurts Families More Than It Helps

As a parent and believer in both truth and compassion, I cannot remain silent about California Assembly Bill 495. On the surface, AB 495 may appear to promote inclusion and safety. But a deeper look reveals a dangerous shift: away from parental rights, away from balanced medical care, and away from religious liberty. This bill allows decisions about a child's gender identity and treatment to happen without parental consent. That should alarm all of us, regardless of political belief. Parents are not obstacles — they are protectors. AB 495 also pressures schools to promote an ideology that clashes with the religious and moral convictions of many families. This isn’t education — it’s forced affirmation. Worse yet, children struggling with identity are being fast-tracked into treatments with irreversible consequences, when what they really need is compassionate mental health support, not medical experimentation. We all want children to be safe and loved. But AB 495 takes the power away from those who love them most: their parents. It’s time to push back against government overreach and defend the foundational values that make families strong. For the sake of our children, I urge California’s leaders to reject AB 495.