State Farm has backpedaled on a plan to distribute LGBT-themed books to children through community centers, libraries, and school teachers after a whistleblower revealed the insurance company was working with a transgender advocacy group.
GenderCool, a self-described "youth-led movement" committed to telling the stories of "transgender and non-binary youth who are thriving," wanted to enlist hundreds of State Farm agents and volunteers to "help diversify classroom, community center, and library bookshelves with a collection of books ... to increase representation of LGBTQ+ books and support our communities in having challenging, important and empowering conversations with children Age 5+," according to an email revealed by Consumers' Research. Facing backlash, Chief Diversity Officer Victor Terry announced State Farm "will no longer support" the LGBT curricula push, saying "conversations about gender and identity should happen at home with parents" and that the company doesn't "support required curriculum in schools on this topic."
The news comes as states are enacting laws to ban puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and sex-reassignment surgeries for minors. Republican-led legislatures in Arizona and Arkansas have passed such legislation, and nearly 15 other states are considering similar bills. The White House, by contrast, has promoted the so-called gender-affirming treatments, with former press secretary Jen Psaki in April referring to the procedures as "life-saving."
Studies from LGBT groups defending the controversial treatments—and cited by the Biden administration—have been underwritten by the manufacturers of puberty blocking drugs, the Washington Free Beacon reported in April.
The books, which include the titles Being Transgender, Inclusive, and Non-Binary, feature transgender children who use a variety of pronouns to identify themselves and describe gender as mutable.
"When you're born, a doctor looks at you and says, 'It's a boy!' or 'It's a girl!' based on your body," an excerpt from Non-Binary quoted by National Review reads. "But gender isn't that simple. You see, when I was born, the doctor said, 'It's a boy!' But . . . this wasn't true."