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OHIO COURT REMOVES CHILD FROM PARENTS
BECAUSE OF HER GENDER

[Columbus, OH: 26 Aug 00] A six-year-old child, Aurora Lipscomb, was taken
from her parents, Paul and Sherry Lipscomb, by the Franklin County (Ohio)Children's Services (FCCS) citing concern for the child's welfare. The parents say the county took their child because they refuse to force her
to conform to narrow gender stereotypes.

'Zachary' Lipscomb was born physically male, but has identified as a girl, Aurora,
for four years - since she was two years old. Her parents have raised her since that
time as a girl. Last November she was "diagnosed" with gender-identity disorder (GID) after being hospitalized at Cincinnati Children's Medical
Center.

The County acted less than two weeks after the Lipscombs enrolled Aurora in the first grade as a girl. Acting on an anonymous call expressing concern for the child, the FCCS sought and obtained an emergency order
for custody from a Franklin County judge. Although the County refuses to list the caller's concerns, court documents reveal that school employees
and Children Services officials question the gender-identity diagnosis as
well as the parents' refusal to force their daughter into out-dated gender
stereotypes.

An FCCS spokesman said that Zachary is doing well and has been appointed an independent guardian who will act on the child's best interests.

The Lipscombs say they will file a federal sex-discrimination lawsuit against the Westerville school district and Children's Service.
"We have no idea what they are doing to her," said her mother, Sherry. "She's not getting her medication... She's never even had an outside baby sitter-not even family. She can't be fine. She's petrified. I know it."

Attorneys for the Lipscombs have filed an Objection to the Court's order taking Aurora the parents' home. A hearing will be held on their appeal on 12 September.

"They want us to change Aurora to be male," says Paul Lipscomb. "We are having conflict with physicians, Childrens services in both Franklin
and Hamilton counties in Ohio. They are talking about residential care, which removes us as the parents. They are beginning to say we are unfit parents,
because we allow Aurora to exist."

GenderPAC has been working since 1998 with a broad coalition of national gay and feminist groups to reform GID so it cannot be used to "treat" infants and children. Said GPAC's Executive Director Riki Wilchins, "No child should ever be taken from her parents and forced to conform to
narrow, out-dated gender stereotypes. American Psychiatric Association President Dr. Alan Tasman and the G/L/B Subcommittee of the APA have been totally inert on reforming GID as a mental illness. It's past time
gender was removed as a basis for psychiatric and state mistreatment


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An Open letter from Paul, Sherry and Aurora Lipscomb:

My wife Sherry and I notice our son Zachary at the age of two years old preferring all feminine toys, clothes, shoes, and activities. We first thought it as nothing to be concerned about. As Zach progressed in age
to kindergarten, there was always the preoccupation to be a girl. Zach would emphatically state the she was a girl, and announced that her name was Aurora. After several years of therapy, which we found out that behavior modification was being used. We finally came upon a physician
who diagnosed our child with Gender Identity Dysphoria. There have been four inpatient stays, the third one last fall was when Aurora was diagnosed as GID. On the fourth inpatient stay the physicians totally
flipped the diagnosis as strictly being psychological. We had to make a child conform to the male gender. Prior to this stay we had informed
them and the school that we were going to have her ears pierced for her birthday, and support her in her female gender, by doing home schooling,
until she was able to mainstream.



She took an immense amount of harassment, behavior modification, and bulling. Over all we need help and support They want us to change Aurora to be male. We are having conflict with physicians, Childrens
services in both Franklin and Hamilton counties in Ohio. They are talking about residential care, which removes us as the parents to having custody, because we are to be firm that our child has to live in a male gender. They are beginning to say we are unfit parents, because
we allow Aurora to exist. We are definitely afraid that they may take
our Aurora away from us at any given moment without notice. If anyone
can give us support it is: NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We Love our beautiful and creative Daughter. Please let us know how you
feel about our circumstances.

Paul, Sherry, and Aurora Lipscomb