Bill in California potentially endangering children identified as gender-confused by authorizing questionable custody arrangements

In the heart of California, a bill known as the "Family Preparedness Plan Act of 2025" (AB 495) is causing a stir. Initiated by California Assembly Member Celeste Rodriguez, this bill, originally designed to protect children during family separations caused by immigration enforcement, is now raising concerns about its potential impact on parental rights and child safety.

The bill, if passed, would allow any adult to claim a mentoring relationship with a child, live with them, and potentially become their legal guardian by signing a one-page affidavit. This could potentially bypass the parents' decision-making authority, especially in matters concerning gender surgery.

The concern is palpable among parents of gender-confused children. Michelle Rodgers, a nurse and parent, saved her son Luke from a lifetime of regret by refusing to consent to so-called "gender-affirming care." Luke's story is not unique. School counselors and doctors were "affirming" Luke as transgender from the age of 13, a decision he now regrets.

Chloe Cole and Luke Healy, detransitioner advocates and leading subjects of the IW Features documentary series "Identity Crisis," share similar stories. Chloe was on puberty blockers by age 13 and underwent a double mastectomy, a decision she now regrets.

The fear is that gender-confused children are often groomed by outside adults, often met online, to accept gender ideology, potentially with the goal of promoting a sexual relationship. The bill's passage could potentially enable these adults to go a step further and gain legal authority over their targets.

Detransitioners and parents argue that this could be a pedophile's dream. They assert that parents' rights can shield children from a medical industry seeking to drug and disfigure them. If AB 495 becomes law, parents like Michelle may have no say in their children's decision-making regarding gender surgery.

Moreover, the broad scope of AB 495 could put every child in California in danger, particularly gender-confused children who seek psychological affirmation and medical intervention against their parents' wishes. Had it been law when Luke was younger, he could have sought any other adult in his life to help him along the path to gender surgery.

Critics of the bill argue that California lawmakers should recognise the harm done to formerly gender-confused children and the need to protect parents' authority. Michelle, in the documentary "Identity Crisis: A Mother's Instinct vs. the Transgender Industry," expresses concern that online groomers could have kidnapped her son.

As the California state senate prepares to vote on AB 495, the debate rages on. The bill, intended to protect children, could potentially endanger them instead. The question remains: will California lawmakers heed the concerns of parents and detransitioners, or will they push forward with a bill that could have far-reaching and potentially devastating consequences?

Bill in California potentially endangering children identified as gender-confused by authorizing questionable custody arrangements