NYs Equal Rights Amendment aims to abolish the right to parent our kids

My fellow New Yorkers and I are poised to answer a profound question on Election Day: Do parents have the right to make decisions for our children, or do politicians in Albany get to control our kids?Shockingly, most New Yorkers don’t even know this question is on the November ballot.But that’s the reality of Proposition One — the so-called “Equal Rights Amendment.”Activists and politicians are loudly saying that this constitutional amendment is key to protecting abortion, but that’s not true: The amendment doesn’t mention abortion at all.Abortion is also already guaranteed by state law, and there’s zero chance that our elected leaders in Albany will roll back abortion rights anytime soon.New York is easily one of the most pro-abortion states in the country.So why are activists making the Equal Rights Amendment about abortion? Because they think New Yorkers would be far less likely to support the amendment if the activists talked about the real stakes.Namely, the threat to parental rights, including our right to protect our children from radical transgender ideology.I say this as the father of a young teenage son.

Like most kids these days, he’s been exposed to transgender ideology at school.He’s shown no inclination to go down the dark road of trying to change his gender — but if he did, I’d immediately intervene, which is my right and my duty as his father.I’d stop him from getting pumped full of dangerous chemicals, like puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.I’d also block any attempt to mutilate his body with genital surgeries.Instead, I’d get him real mental-health care to help him understand who he really is.That’s the caring and science-based road, because at least 80% of kids who say they’re transgender ultimately decide they aren’t.But if kids get hormone treatments and surgeries, they can’t really go back.

Puberty-blockers and cross-sex hormones often have permanent side effects — everything from weight gain to...