Bill Overview
Title: Stop the Sexualization of Children Act
Description: This bill prohibits the presentation of sexually oriented materials to children under the age of 10. The bill defines sexually oriented material as any (1) depiction or description of sexual activity; (2) lewd or lascivious depiction or description of human genitals; or (3) topic involving gender identity, gender dysphoria, transgenderism, sexual orientation, or related subjects. Specifically, the bill prohibits (1) the use of federal funds to develop, implement, facilitate, or fund any sexually oriented program, event, or literature for children under the age of 10; and (2) the use of federal facilities or properties to host or promote such programs, events, or literature. The bill grants a parent or guardian a private right of action against a government official, government agency, or private entity that violates this bill. Additionally, the bill prohibits federal agencies from disbursing federal funds to a government agency or private entity for three fiscal years if the agency or entity has received two or more injunctions for violations of the bill in a five-year period.
Sponsors: Rep. Johnson, Mike [R-LA-4]
Target Audience
Population: Children under the age of 10
Estimated Size: 40000000
- The bill directly affects children under the age of 10 by restricting the type of material they can be exposed to.
- Parents and guardians will be impacted as they have the right to take action if they believe the bill is violated.
- Educational institutions and libraries might have to alter their programs or materials to comply with this legislation.
- Federal fund allocation for programs and facilities might change affecting the entities currently receiving these funds for related content.
Reasoning
- The diversity covered by the simulated interviews includes parents of young children, educators, and community members.
- Budget constraints limit large-scale enforcement; therefore, not every institution will be immediately impacted, affecting implementation adherence.
- The population size of around 40 million children might mean a relatively diluted impact on parents and guardians connecting directly with federal fund-related issues.
Simulated Interviews
Librarian (Austin, TX)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy might simplify material selection for younger audiences.
- Concerned over potential limits on educational content related to diversity and acceptance.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Teacher (Miami, FL)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Feels the policy could hinder discussions about family diversity.
- Worried about being overly cautious in class discussions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Stay-at-home parent (Little Rock, AR)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Believes the policy provides good oversight on the material deemed appropriate for her children.
- Supports parental action rights as a safeguard.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Non-profit Organizer (Seattle, WA)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Fears that the restriction will erase important discussions from school programming.
- Worried about potential chilling effects on staff and materials under threat of litigation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
School Principal (Avon, OH)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy requires vigilant monitoring of federal fund usage.
- Adjusting materials could be costly and logistically challenging.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Pastor (Rural Mississippi)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Supports the policy as a protective measure for family values.
- Sees it as a positive reinforcement for his community's lifestyle.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Children's Author (New York, NY)
Age: 33 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Concerned the policy could restrict the creativity and reach of her work.
- Fears reduced federal support for diversity-themed literature.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Child Psychologist (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Worries about the policy's effect on mental health resources that incorporate gender identity.
- Supports actions protecting against early exposure to sexual content.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Retired School Teacher (Jacksonville, FL)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Supports the policy as she feels it aligns with her belief of age-appropriate education.
- Concerned that it might be too restrictive on educational breadth.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Advocate (Chicago, IL)
Age: 41 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Strongly opposes the policy as it feels exclusionary.
- Worried it erases essential topics from the conversation around identity.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $12000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $15000000)
Year 2: $12000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $15000000)
Year 3: $12000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $15000000)
Year 5: $12000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $15000000)
Year 10: $12000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $15000000)
Year 100: $12000000 (Low: $8000000, High: $15000000)
Key Considerations
- Legal challenges initiated through the private right of action could pose substantial but unpredictable costs to federal agencies and entities.
- Changes in federal fund allocation can impact various entities but estimating specific program costs without details is challenging.
- Reviewing and revising educational and informational materials to comply with the legislation may incur costs.