Fourth GOP debate: Internet disagrees with Chris Christie's stance about opposing ban on gender-affirming care for minors

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA: Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie defended parental rights while speaking on gender-affirming care for minors during the fourth Republican debate held on Wednesday, December 6, contrary to the opinion of his fellow Republican members. 

Moderator Megyn Kelly asked, "You do not favor a ban on trans medical treatments for minors, saying it's a parental rights issue."

She added, "How is it that you think a parent should be able to okay these surgeries, never mind the sterilization of a child, and aren't you way too out of step on this issue to be the Republican nominee?" Christie replied, "No, I'm not." 

He continued, "Because Republicans believe in less government, not more, and less involvement with government, not more involvement in people's lives," adding, "You know what, Megyn? I trust parents."

Chris Christie said he would continue to stand up for parents 'every time' 

While speaking on his stance about not favoring a ban on gender-affirming medical treatments for minor children at the fourth GOP debate, Christie said, "We're out there saying that we should empower parents in education, we should empower parents to make more decisions about where their kids go to school—I agree."

"We should empower parents to be teaching the values that they believe in their homes without the government telling them what those values should be," continued the former New Jersey Governor, adding, "And yet we want to take all their parental rights away."

"I am sorry as a father of four I believe there's no one who loves my children more than me. There's no one who loves my children more than my wife. There's no one who cares more about their success and health in life than we do. Not some government bureaucrat," stated Christie. 

He further mentioned, "You look at these jokers down in Congress, it takes them three weeks to pick a Speaker, and up until two days ago they couldn't promote somebody in the military at the United States Senate who earned their new rank and we’re going to put my children’s health, and my decisions, in their hands?"

"For them to make those decisions? For Joe Biden to make those decisions?" inquired Christie. 

"For me and my wife, let me just say this, this is not something I favor, I think it's a very very dangerous thing to do," asserted the presidential hopeful, before saying, "But that's my opinion as a parent and I get to make the decisions about my children. Not anybody else."

"Every parent out there who is watching tonight, you start to turn over a little bit over to the authority, what the authorities are gonna take from you next, you are not gonna like. I'll stand up for parents each and every time," declared Christie. 

Later, he added that "every once in a while, parents are going to make decisions that we disagree with. But the minute you start to take those rights away from parents, you don't know that slippery slope, what rights are going to be taken away next."

Internet disagrees with Chris Christie's stance on why he doesn't support the ban on gender-affirming care for minors

Soon after Christie's remarks about gender-affirming care for minors came to light, netizens took to social to show their disagreement, especially when it came to his point about everything boiling down to parental rights. 

One wrote, "Chris Christie’s answer on gender-affirming surgery for children is utterly disqualifying," one wrote. 

Another stated, "Why isn’t the audience booing Chris Christie off the stage? Transing the kids is unacceptable," while a person called him out, saying, "Christie will say anything for another CNN appearance."

Someone else opined, "Christie represents everything that is rotten within the Republican establishment," 

"Thank God Christie will never be President," mentioned one more, with a user inquiring, "I can't for the life of me understand why he's still on that stage." 

Another person asked, "Why is he there again? Do people in NJ still care what he does?"