During Wednesday night’s Republican Party presidential debate, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis confronted former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie over his record on transgender issues, particularly regarding parental rights in decisions about transgender treatments for minors.
The debate, hosted by NewsNation in Alabama, saw its tensest moments when co-moderator Megyn Kelly questioned Christie about a 2017 New Jersey law. Kelly highlighted the law’s requirements for schools to acknowledge a child’s chosen gender identity without parental consent and its lack of obligation to inform parents if a child changes their gender identity at school.
Kelly posed a pointed question to Christie, asking how such policies align with supporting parental rights. Christie refuted the claim, stating that the law was regulated in 2018 after his term and that he consistently upheld parents’ rights to make decisions for their minor children. “It’s a dangerous path to strip these rights from parents, as it’s unclear what rights might be taken next,” Christie argued.
DeSantis sharply rebuked this stance, emphasizing the importance of protecting children from abuse, including what he termed as genital mutilation and irreversible transgender procedures. Citing his actions in Florida, DeSantis mentioned that he had signed a bill banning such procedures on minors, arguing that they cause irrevocable harm, as evidenced by similar bans in countries like Sweden.
The Florida Governor also criticized another fellow candidate, Nikki Haley, for her opposition to the Florida legislation and her previous actions as Governor of South Carolina. He referred to her decision to halt a bill that would prevent men from entering women’s bathrooms, highlighting her continued pride in that decision. DeSantis underscored his belief that such policies are harmful and inappropriate, especially concerning the safety of young girls.
The exchange sparked significant audience reaction, underscoring the contentious nature of this issue in the GOP presidential race. DeSantis’s comments reflect the ongoing debate within the party and the broader national conversation on transgender rights, parental authority, and child welfare.