KISS singer and guitarist Paul Stanley called normalizing gender reassignment surgery on children a “sad and dangerous fad” on Sunday, sparking both backlash and praise for his comments as the nation battles many states crafting legislation surrounding so-called gender-affirming care.
Stanley, 71, who co-founded the iconic rock n’ roll group formed in the 1970s, posted on Twitter a statement where he shared thoughts about the controversial topic and new social contagion that has swept the U.S. recently and convinced minors to mutilate their body parts.
“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 though some sort of game and then parents in some cases allow it,” he wrote in a statement under the title “My Thoughts On What I’m Seeing.”
“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,” he added.
“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,” he concluded.
Stanley’s tweet garnered millions of views within hours of posting, sparking praise and backlash from users across the spectrum, most of whom referred to the American musician performing songs about sexualizing underage girls — namely the 1977 song “Christine Sixteen.”
Yet, despite critics pointing out a man who trademarked his career wearing flamboyant makeup and clothing, supporters of Stanley’s statement applauded him for speaking out against the transgender culture’s push for children.
Stanley’s comments come after several Republican-led states, including Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, and Tennessee, passed legislation banning transgender procedures for children.
Last week, the Department of Justice sued Tennessee over a state law prohibiting transgender hormone treatments and surgeries for minors.
According to the DOJ, Tennessee’s ban on transgender treatments for minors violates the Equal Protection Clause. The law discriminates against “transgender youth” diagnosed with gender dysphoria, blocking transgender treatments for them “while allowing non-transgender minors access to the same or similar procedures,” the DOJ claims.
Tennessee officials responded to the Biden administration’s lawsuit against the state, promising to fight to uphold the law and stand up for children.
— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) April 30, 2023