I am a wife, a mother, and the Executive Director of a professional organization… in that order. Now that my children are grown and starting their own families, my husband and I are diligently seeking ways to help ensure that our cherished Judeo-Christian principles and values endure for the generations to come. One important aspect of the work I do in my executive role is to bring awareness to situations that impact our religious liberties… the same freedoms our Founding Fathers and the early patriots fought and died for when America was born and secured its independence to become the great nation it is today. To be honest, I never thought the following issue would be one we would ever have to address.

Recently in Ohio, a Hamilton County judge, Sylvia Hendon, ruled a minor girl be removed from her parents’ custody so she could follow through with her desire to receive gender-suppressing, hormone-manipulating drugs in order to become a male. Yes, incredibly, you read that correctly.

Furthermore, Judge Hendon suggested lawmakers legislate standards, “by which the Court is able to judge and act” upon a minor’s request for treatment, “to give a voice and pathway to children in similar situations.” I say… “Not on my watch!”

Please understand something; this is not primarily about gender issues. This is about the government intruding into your living room and taking over your role as a parent. In other words, with this potentially precedent-setting ruling, the court can now remove a minor son or daughter from parental custody so the child can take hormones for so-called gender transition. Ohio family and life advocates, including spokespersons with Citizens for Community Values and Greater Cincinnati Right to Life called the case a, “dangerous affront to the rights of parents and the health and well-being of children.”

“This is a major setback for advocates of parental rights and religious freedom,” writes Nicole Russell of the online publication, The Federalist. “The clear message from the juvenile court to parents seems to be—‘Mutilate your child or we will do it for you.’” This egregious attack on the rights of parents, as well as on the dictates of conscience in a case such as this, should sound the alarm to anyone who is reading this right now.

One parent, Elizabeth Johnston, gave remarks at a Press Conference that put much of this in perspective, “Our kids can’t buy cigarettes or alcohol due to health risks,” Johnston said. “Yet they are being prescribed dangerous and untested gender transition drugs that are not approved by the FDA. Unacceptable!”

Not only are courts ruling that Americans can be fined or severely penalized for advocating traditional marriage, but now, the legal system is deciding that a parent is either incapable of and/or no longer permitted to have a voice in decisions related to their own child’s gender orientation or identity. Friends, when the court commands that kind of power and permits the government to remove your children from your care and custody because you believe their gender is unchanging, not only it is beyond unacceptable, it begins to unravel the very fabric of society! A decision like this is not so far from the court also deciding your religious instruction or faith principles and practices are abusive and threatening to the well-being of your minor children. Not on my watch!

Citizens for Community Values and the Greater Cincinnati Right to Life announced legislative and other action in response to what is being called an unprecedented move against parental rights by a judge. Please pray for this situation to end in absolute and complete victory for religious freedom and parental rights.

Also, the CPCF is working on proactive faith-based solutions to help redirect our nation, and this particular area of concern is included in the overall strategy. Will you pray that the many organizations currently working toward this end will develop and implement effective initiatives, stand boldly in the marketplace of ideas, and fight passionately for our freedoms?

Would you help us by making a financial gift today so that we can continue to rally people of faith into action?

I also deeply appreciate the ways in which you speak out in your own spheres of authority and influence. We must not allow these kinds of rulings or any other means of eroding our rights to succeed or go unchallenged. My friends… not on our watch!

Even in light of this horrendous court case, I remain confident that America is not too far gone. It will certainly take our faithful prayers and consistent engagement, day in and day out, but be encouraged, we are seeing incredible progress on so many fronts. Let us press on, press in, and press through!