In a bold move that’s sure to spark conversations across party lines, Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-IL) has thrown his support behind a thought-provoking book advocating for the acceptance and celebration of non-binary children.
Illinois Democrat Eric Sorensen Backs Book ‘Celebrating God’s Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children’
ILLINOIS IS NO LONGER PART OF AMERICA https://t.co/wgNXpaegLU— Fred Johnson (@FredJoh26842729) September 20, 2023
The book, titled “Raising Kids beyond the Binary: Celebrating God’s Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children,” is authored by Jamie Bruesehoff, the mother of a transgender teen.
Taking to X on Sunday, Sorensen enthusiastically tweeted his endorsement of the book, calling it “Excellent work.”
Bruesehoff’s trans child, who contributed an afterword to the book and was born biologically male, also took to social media to express pride in their mother’s achievement, tweeting an image of the book and declaring, “I am so proud of this book my mom… wrote!”
Sorensen emphasized the importance of unity, stating, “Let’s keep moving forward! No question what we are able to do when we work together.”
The book, available on Amazon, opens with a daring invitation to “Dare to dream of a church and a world transformed by the bold celebration of transgender and gender-diverse children.” It addresses the tensions within certain Christian circles, adding that “some Christians” have been vocal opponents of supporting these young people.
In her introduction, Bruesehoff shares her child’s journey of social transitioning at the age of eight, including changing their name and pronouns to allow them to be their authentic selves. The heart of the book lies in Bruesehoff’s assertion that allowing children to express their true selves is not in conflict with the teachings of the Bible.
“While I can’t speak to your own connection to the teachings of the Bible, I can say wholeheartedly that allowing your child to be themselves, whatever that may look like, is not leading them away from the God who created them,” she said, challenging the notion that conforming to one’s biological gender is synonymous with following the teachings of Jesus Christ.
She emphasized that Jesus himself questioned and rejected the cultural and religious norms of his time, advocating for dismantling systems of power and oppression. In her view, Jesus would embrace diversity, regardless of whether “your little boy’s nails are painted pink, purple, or any other color.”
This isn’t the first time Sorensen has stepped into the spotlight to champion the rights and well-being of transgender children. During an appearance on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal earlier this year, he spoke out against proposals to ban gender transitions for minors.
Host John McArdle asked Sorensen why he opposed restricting access to hormone treatments and other medical options for transgender youth.
“Because we have to understand that the understanding of a child as they’re growing into an adult, it doesn’t happen at this arbitrary 18-year mark. It happens — as a youngster, I knew I was growing up different when I was probably eight, nine, or ten years old,” Sorensen replied.
He then went on to express concern about the mental health and well-being of trans kids, stating, “There’s no way for these trans kids to change. And so, the problem that we have today is if we don’t allow families to make the right decisions for their kids, then we’re going to have too many of these kids that give up on their life.”
