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Paris Hilton-backed bill aimed at stopping abuse in youth residential programs heads to Biden's desk

19 December 2024 at 00:48

A bill backed by celebrity and entrepreneur Paris Hilton is heading to President Biden's desk after the House passed the act on Wednesday, a week after it was cleared unanimously by the Senate.

The "Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act" requires more oversight for youth residential treatment facilities, a regulation Hilton has spent years lobbying for after testifying that she was sexually abused as a 17-year-old at a Utah boarding school.

The bipartisan bill was co-sponsored by 23 lawmakers including Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Ct., Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif.

Once the bill is enacted, the Secretary of Health and Human Services has 45 days to enter into a contract with the National Academics of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to "conduct a study to examine the state of youth in youth residential programs and make recommendations," according to the text.

PARIS HILTON URGES HOUSE TO PASS 'STOP INSTITUTIONAL CHILD ABUSE ACT' AFTER SENATE'S UNANIMOUS APPROVAL

Hilton celebrated Congress passing the bill in a social media post on Wednesday where she stated, in part, "today is a day [she] will never forget."

"This moment is proof that our voices matter, that speaking out can spark change, and that no child should ever endure the horrors of abuse in silence. I did this for the younger version of myself and the youth who were senselessly taken from us by the Troubled Teen Industry," she wrote on X.

She thanked the "countless survivors who shared their stories," the "families who stood with us" and the legislators "who chose courage over complacency."

"And to the children still trapped in these systems: I will never stop fighting for you. Change is possible!" she concluded.

PARIS HILTON CHAMPIONS CHILD WELFARE REFORM: 'MOST TRAUMATIZING EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE'

The act requires the National Academies to submit a report within three years, and every two years thereafter for a decade, detailing various issues, including the "nature, prevalence, severity, and scope of child abuse, neglect, and deaths" in the programs.

The reports must also include who is funding the youth residential programs at the state and federal levels.

Recommendations will also be made on how to better train those working in fields that may come into contact with institutionalized youth, and how to implement "positive behavioral interventions."

Hilton has also influenced similar legislation protecting institutionalized minors in eight states.

GOP senator to propose ban on gender transition treatment for minors

4 December 2024 at 01:00

FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., a former medical doctor, is expected to introduce legislation that would ban gender-related medical procedures on minors and impose a penalty for professionals who perform such treatments, Fox News Digital has learned.

The bill, titled the Safeguarding the Overall Protection (STOP) of Minors Act, aims to prohibit youth gender transition treatment and "castration procedures" by banning "the use of interstate commerce to perform, attempt to perform, conspire to perform, or provide referral for any gender mutilation procedures on a minor."

"Americans resoundingly rejected the Left’s dangerous transgender agenda. Let’s call it exactly what it is: child abuse," said Marshall. 

Marshall is expected to introduce the bill on Capitol Hill on Wednesday: "The days of demented doctors and activists getting rich off of mutilating, sterilizing, and castrating children are over."

The STOP Act, if passed, would call on Health and Human Services (HHS) to impose a civil penalty of at least $100,000 on those "providing transgender mutilation services and treatments" for minors. Secretary Xavier Becerra currently heads HHS under President Biden. However, he will soon be succeeded by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. when President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. 

GOP LAWMAKERS REVEAL A HEIGHTENED LEGISLATIVE FOCUS AGAINST ‘IRREVERSIBLE’ GENDER SURGERY ON MINORS

The Republican senator's bill also seeks to provide assistance to people who no longer want to continue the gender transition process, commonly referred to as detransitioners.

COURT UPHOLDS RED STATE'S BAN ON TRANS SURGERIES, TREATMENTS FOR MINORS

Marshall signaled he would work with Trump, who has suggested he would seek to slash "gender-affirming" care for minors, on the issue.

"Our legislation keeps children's safety paramount by prohibiting anyone from performing, facilitating, or even conspiring to give these irreversible therapies and procedures to minors," Marshall said. "This bill is just the beginning of what's to come with President Trump at the helm and our unwavering commitment to protecting children from transgender activists' twisted and criminal agenda."

Marshall first teed up the bill during a panel led by Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project, and a group of lawmakers who discussed a heightened GOP focus on legislation against transgender medical procedures on minors. 

Lawmakers on the other side of the issue have spoken out in support of such procedures for minors, such as hormone replacement therapy and laser hair removal. Most recently, they pushed back on a ban in Tennessee that prevents minors from receiving puberty blockers.

In September, a total of 164 lawmakers, including 11 senators and 153 representatives in the House, filed an amicus brief defending transgender youth against the ban. 

The Supreme Court will hear arguments regarding the law Wednesday and decide on whether to uphold the ban.

Fox News' Jamie Jospeh contributed to this report.

NY elementary school blasted for teaching 'gender identity' course to kindergarteners

26 November 2024 at 06:30

An elementary school in the suburbs of New York City is being called out for teaching a gender identity class to kindergartners after a copy of the course began circulating on social media.

Hillside Elementary School, part of the Hastings-on-Hudson Union Free District, has been teaching a "gender curriculum" to elementary-level children in an effort to promote "inclusion" in the school, according to the course description reviewed by Fox News Digital.

The course includes showing kindergarten students photos of other children which are used to "introduce vocabulary to describe characters of different identities," including teaching them about the terms "cisgender, transgender, and non-binary," according to a message to parents regarding the curriculum.

"Our gender curriculum focuses on Hillside's core value of respect and aims to center discussions on gender identity. The students will learn and discuss that there is a lot you can't tell about a person by simply looking at them," the kindergarten level course description reads. 

PA EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AGREES TO CANCEL REQUIREMENT FOR TEACHERS TO ADOPT GUIDELINES DEEMED ‘WOKE’

"The students will look at pictures of children and talk about what they notice and what they think they know about the children just from the pictures. Using their observations, we will then take the opportunity to introduce vocabulary to describe characters of different identities," the school writes.

GOP SENATOR DEBUTS BILL TO ABOLISH DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOLLOWING TRUMP CAMPAIGN PROMISE

The "identity" being taught to children includes discussing "gender and the pronouns that you use," and that "as we learn and grow, the words we use to describe our gender identity can grow too," as described by the school.

When asked by Fox News Digital about the curriculum, the Hastings-on-Hudson Union Free District communications team said that the lessons have been in place for several years and are rooted in "Hillside’s core values of respect and fostering dignity for all students."

"One 30-minute gender lesson is taught in each class one time per year. The classes are led by a certified educator, following a specific set of lessons designed to help students value the full diversity of their classmates," Superintendent William S. McKersie said in a message to faculty and parents. "The lessons have been created in alignment with the NYS Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework," he wrote. The school noted that the lessons do not address sex education or sexuality.

The school district said that while they usually have the courses posted publicly online, the gender lesson description has been taken off the website since going viral. 

LibsofTikTok, a social media account known for posting content geared toward calling out the far-left, posted a copy of the message to parents, which quickly received millions of views.

"Our kids can’t read or write or even possess a basic understanding of history, yet the gender communism indoctrination of kindergartners continues unabated," New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino said in a repost of the curriculum. "This won’t stop until these people face real consequences."

Kemberlee Kaye, managing editor of Critical Race Training in Education, a database that allows viewers to see which schools identified have been practicing critical race theory teachings, responded on X to "get your kids out of government schools."

Unearthed footage of Barron Trump speaking with mom's accent spreads like wildfire after dad's massive win

24 November 2024 at 10:55

Videos of future first son Barron Trump speaking in a Slovenian accent as a young boy are spreading like wildfire on social media after his father’s massive electoral win earlier this month. 

"I like my suitcase," a 4-year-old Barron Trump said with an apparent Slovene accent in 2010 during a Larry King segment.

The video shows Barron Trump in his father’s office with both of his parents as he grabs a brown suitcase and asks his mom about going to school. 

"I have to go to school now?" Barron Trump asks, again with an accent. 

MELANIA TRUMP POSTS PHOTO OF SON BARRON, 18, VOTING FOR THE 1ST TIME IN ELECTION WITH FATHER AT TOP OF TICKET

"You have lunch, and then you go to school," Melania Trump responds. 

"Now I’m gonna go?" Barron Trump asks again, speaking with the same accent as his mom. 

"First you will have lunch, then you will go to school," Melania tells her young son as he holds his brown briefcase. 

Clips of the video have spread like wildfire across social media, most notably on TikTok, where users have filmed their own videos imitating Barron Trump, accompanied by the tag "sootcase," as a play on how Barron Trump pronounced "suitcase." 

Social media users have reacted with shock over learning the eventual first son had a slight accent as a young boy, with many calling it "adorable," "cute" and lauding Melania Trump for her close relationship with her young son. The videos had long floated on social media, but are only going viral after Donald Trump's victory in the presidential election this month. 

One user on TikTok said, "i can't help but giggle every time i hear or see this video his Slovenian accent is so cuteness," and another said, "he was adorable," and another saying Melania Trump "seems like an amazingly sweet mom." 

MELANIA TRUMP REVEALS HOW SHE STAYS CALM, COOL, FOCUSED AND HEALTHY: 'GUIDING PRINCIPLE'

Dozens of videos on TikTok have racked up hundreds of thousands of views each, and have even led to social media users creating song remixes of Barron Trump’s accent and social media commenters noting they never knew the first son had an accent as a young boy

Melania Trump, who had a successful modeling career before she became first lady, was born in Novo Mesto, Yugoslavia – now Slovenia – and explained in the interview with Larry King in 2010 that her son has an accent because he spent the majority of time with his mom. 

"He has an accent," King noted in a live interview with Trump and his wife after footage of Barron speaking in an accent was aired. 

TRUMP TAPS INTO GEN Z'S PULSE WITH HELP FROM SON BARRON, WHO TELLS HIM ABOUT HOTTEST TRENDS

"He spends most of the time with me," Melania Trump responded, before King asked the eventual president, "what do you think of that?"

"I think it's great," Donald Trump responded. "Anything he does is OK with me."

"He speaks three languages, actually," Melania Trump added. 

"Smart one," Donald Trump said. 

In another clip, Donald Trump is seen telling his son to avoid drugs, alcohol and tattoos when he grows up. 

"I want all As," Donald Trump said in the clip. "And when you get older, no drugs. No alcohol. No cigarettes. And, you know what else? No tattoos. I don’t ever want to see tattoos on you."

Footage of Barron Trump in 2009 is also going viral, showing the roughly 3-year-old boy with his mom attending a charity event where Entertainment Tonight held a short interview with the pair. Barron Trump declared his love of playing the drums while again pronouncing his words similar to his mom’s Slovene accent. 

"I like to play drums," he said, adding he wants drums "like on the television" for his birthday. 

Barron Trump is now 18-years-old and attends New York University. The first son overwhelmingly stays out of the public spotlight when compared to his older siblings, such as Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, who frequently conduct media interviews and joined their father on the campaign trail. 

BARRON TRUMP 'DOING GREAT' AT NYU, LOVES HIS CLASSES, HIS MOM MELANIA TRUMP SAYS

Barron Trump, who notably stands at about 6-foot-9 and towers over his parents, was seen on stage when his father delivered his victory speech earlier this month after his massive victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump wrapped up the election with 312 electoral votes to Harris’ 226, and won the popular vote. 

"Every citizen, I will fight for you, for your family and your future. Every single day, I will be fighting for you. And with every breath in my body, I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve. This will truly be the golden age of America. That's what we have to have. This is a magnificent victory for the American people that will allow us to make America great again," Trump said in his victory speech, flanked by his family and other high-profile supporters such as tech billionaire Elon Musk and UFC CEO Dana White. 

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