In a lengthy message on social media on Sunday, Paul Stanley, the lead vocalist and co-founder of the band KISS, spoke out against gender reassignment therapies for minors.
In a seemingly unprompted remark, Stanley chastised parents for pushing their children to doubt their sexual identity as part of “a sad and dangerous fad.”
“There is a BIG difference between teaching acceptance and normalizing, and even encouraging participation in a lifestyle that confuses young children into questioning their sexual identification as if it were a game, and then parents in some cases allow it,” Stanley wrote.
He continued, “There ARE individuals who as adults may decide reassignment is their needed choice but turning this into a game or parents normalizing it as some sort of natural alternative or believing that because a little boy likes to play dress up in his sister’s clothes or a girl in her brother’s, we should lead them steps further down a path that’s far from the innocence of what they are doing.”
Gender reassignment surgery and other chemical treatments for minors have recently come under scrutiny as Republican legislatures moved to outlaw the practice in their jurisdictions.
Meanwhile, in a series of documents released in March 2022, the White House appeared to support sex-change operations for minors.
The Office of Population Affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services published a document titled “Gender Affirming Care and Young People,” while the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Child Traumatic Stress Network published one titled “Gender-Affirming Care Is Trauma-Informed Care.” Both encouraged “top” and “bottom” procedures for children and teenagers, as well as puberty blockers.
“With many children who have no real sense of sexuality or sexual experiences caught up in the ‘fun’ of using pronouns and saying what they identify as, some adults mistakenly confuse teaching acceptance with normalizing and encouraging a situation that has been a struggle for those truly affected and have turned it into a sad and dangerous fad,” Stanley concluded.
Stanley has previously been involved in controversial cultural discussions. During a KISS concert in 2017, he appeared to criticize Colin Kaepernick for disrespecting the national anthem.
“In case you didn’t already know, this tour is called the ‘Freedom to Rock [tour],” Stanley explained. “Many individuals who are born free believe that freedom is free, but it is not. “Freedom is only free because people are willing to make sacrifices to keep us free.”
Following a rock rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner,” he announced a $150,000 donation to the “Hiring Our Heroes” organization.
“You should remember, patriotism is always cool. Loving your country is always cool. Standing up, respecting and honoring our military is always cool. So, to show some respect between pick-throwing, we’re going to put our right hands over our hearts and why don’t we say the Pledge of Allegiance,” Stanley added.
