Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said he believes children as young as 8 years old should be able to decide their own gender.
During his ABC News Town Hall, Biden was asked by a member of the audience, who said she has an 8-year-old transgender, how he would protect the rights of the LGBTQ community.
“How will you, as president, reverse this dangerous and discriminatory agenda and ensure that the lives and rights of LGBTQ people are protected under U.S law?” she asked Biden.
“I would just flat-out change the law. I would eliminate [Trump’s] executive orders, number one,” Biden responded, before proceeding to share a memory of when he saw a gay couple in his youth.
“I turn to my dad and my dad looked at me and said, ‘Joey, it’s simple. They love each other,’” he said.
Biden then affirmed that he believed 8-year-olds were old enough to determine their own gender: “The idea that an 8-year-old child or a 10-year-old child decides you know, I decided I want to be transgender. That’s what I think I’d like to be. It’d make my life a lot easier. There should be zero discrimination.”
Joe Biden is asked a question by a woman with an *8-year-old* transgender daughter. pic.twitter.com/n1azNd6QDB
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) October 16, 2020
The Western Journal reports several people were critical of the vice president’s stance:
Joe Biden tonight said 7 and 8 year olds should be given the authority to be “transgender,” despite data proving that the vast majority of kids with gender confusion outgrow it by puberty. We’re talking life-altering, body-harming decisions made by 1st graders.
— Allie Beth Stuckey (@conservmillen) October 16, 2020
A few cringes when Biden discusses laws that affect the transgender population. His heart is in the right place, and his policy is too. His vocabulary needs to catch up.
— carina adly mackenzie (@cadlymack) October 16, 2020
But here's the problem. Kids don't "decide" to be transgender. Biden's response implies that being trans (or being queer) is a choice that people make, but that is not the case whatsoever.
— h-town himbo🤟🏽 (@alcfromtexas) October 16, 2020
Fracking is bad. Being transgender is not a choice you make one morning. Black and poor are not synonyms.
I hate that I have to vote for Biden.
— Gab(agool) (@gabbinggab) October 16, 2020
Kids not thinking about this at 8 years old. All on your tv you see America trying to force homosexuality and transgenderism on our kids. This is a sick world wow… https://t.co/MtM9ivOg4r
— freddie stevenson (@strugglemade105) October 16, 2020
This was the worst answer in the history of American politics @JoeBiden
A super majority of parents in this country think you are insane for this answer.
This answer swayed Democrats and independents to vote for @realDonaldTrump.
An 8 year doesn’t know what they want. pic.twitter.com/BbojJ3mrxU
— Derek Utley (@realDerekUtley) October 16, 2020