The Biden administration has allocated $850,000 in taxpayer money to train military families in affirming their children’s self-selected gender identities, raising concerns about government overreach and the potential harm to vulnerable youth.
At a Glance
- Biden administration awarded $850,000 federal grant for gender identity affirmation training in military families
- Program aims to provide affirming interventions for 230 youth and train 100 staff
- Services to be delivered near Fort Liberty Army Base and Pope Air Force Base
- Grant funded by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- Program implements Affirm Caregiver intervention to encourage affirmative caregiving behaviors
Biden Administration’s Controversial Grant for Gender Affirmation
As Biden prepares to leave the White House, his administration has awarded an $850,000 grant to promote gender identity affirmation among military families. The program, dubbed Centerstone’s LGBTQI+ Family Support Program (Family+), is set to provide affirming interventions for 230 youth and their families, while also training 100 staff members in what they term “evidence-based interventions.”
This substantial allocation of taxpayer money raises questions about the administration’s priorities, especially at a time when many Americans are struggling with inflation and economic uncertainties. Critics argue that such initiatives overstep the boundaries of government involvement in personal family decisions and potentially expose children to harmful ideologies.
👺🪱🪱💩Report: Biden’s $850K Grant Pushes Military Families to Affirm Children’s ‘Gender Identity’https://t.co/1Qze4y1hCq
— deborah green (@NewaiGreen) December 14, 2024
Target Location and Program Details
The Family+ program is slated to operate out of Centerstone’s Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic in Fayetteville, North Carolina. This strategic location, near Fort Liberty Army Base and Pope Air Force Base, suggests a deliberate targeting of military families for this controversial intervention. The proximity to major military installations raises concerns about the potential pressure on service members to conform to ideological agendas that may conflict with their personal beliefs or values.
“The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Centerstone is here to serve all members of the military community for any mental health needs they present with,” Centerstone said in a statement.
While Centerstone claims to address “any mental health needs,” the focus on gender identity affirmation suggests a predetermined approach that may not align with the best interests of all families or children. This raises questions about the true nature of the support being offered and whether it genuinely addresses the complex mental health challenges faced by military families.
Government Overreach and Ideological Indoctrination
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is funding this grant.
SAMHSA’s stated goal for the program is to “prevent or reduce serious mental health and substance use conditions and build healthy futures for LGBTQI+ youth by increasing family acceptance and support.” However, this approach seems to presuppose that affirmation is the only acceptable response to gender identity issues, potentially overlooking other factors that may contribute to a child’s well-being.
The Family+ program will implement the Affirm Caregiver intervention, which aims to improve parents’ affirmative caregiving attitudes and behaviors. This approach challenges participants to adopt “clear, explicit, and consistent identity-affirming attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.” Such a directive stance from a government-funded program raises concerns about parental rights and the potential for ideological indoctrination.
Critics argue that this program could pressure parents into accepting and promoting gender ideologies they may not agree with, potentially at the expense of their children’s long-term well-being. And at the end of the day, shouldn’t the American people be asked whether they even want their money to be spent on things like this?
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