Arizona GOP pounces on viral gender identity feud hitting U of A nursing school

Two Arizona Republican lawmakers joined in the online outrage Friday over a social media post that went viral from a lecture at the University of Arizona College of Nursing that included information about asking kids as young as 3 years old about their gender identity.

On Friday, the UA issued a statement saying the material in question was neither intended for, nor presented to students at the nursing school.

On Wednesday, an account on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, shared photos of a presentation from a lecture that described how a pediatric caregiver could ask a young patient about gender. A second photo says caregivers should begin asking patients about gender identity starting “around age 3.” However, the posting included no context.

“Senate Republicans are outraged over troubling curriculum being taught at the University of Arizona Nursing School, aiming to cater to the radical left agenda, and to steal the innocence of our young children through the next generation of medical professionals,” a news release Friday from Republicans in the Arizona State Senate said.

“I’m absolutely sickened that this institution of higher learning is perpetuating the lie that a person’s gender is based off feelings and not their God-given biological sex established upon conception,” Sen. Janae Shamp, vice-chair of the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services says in the release. “This is completely groomer garbage that strives to confuse our kids in an effort to cater to the evil that is being accepted by today’s society. As a nurse, I am so disheartened that the next generation of nurses are being hijacked of their capabilities to deliver ethical care.”

Tucson lawmaker, Sen. Justine Wadsack, also is quoted.

“This is a disgusting use of your taxpayer dollars. Every single parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle or anyone with a heart for children should be infuriated that this is happening at one of our prestigious universities,” Wadsack said in the release.

“No student seeking to become a medical professional should ever be taught to victimize our kids, and this is exactly what is happening here. UArizona is finding itself in hot water over a number of issues, but this is the straw that broke the camel’s back. I’m a UArizona Wildcat. It’s where I went to college. It’s in my backyard. I’m not happy,” said Wadsack, who serves as vice-chair of the Senate Committee on Education.

“If this issue is not immediately resolved by the university, Senate Republicans will weigh all options to make certain tax dollars are no longer used in such an egregious fashion,” said Senator T.J. Shope, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services. “The mental health of our children and the state of our health care industry (are) being threatened by this radical ideology.”

Pam Scott, vice president of external communications for the UA, said in a written statement Friday that the material was part of a session for practicing nurses.

“The College of Nursing does not recommend or advocate for young children to be asked gender-related questions in wellness checks. The college does not have a policy or position on this issue and does not integrate this type of training or education into its curriculum. The college teaches that practitioners should always work with the parents and guardians and with their permission, within their scope of the practice, and in alignment with the employing organization’s guidance when treating pediatric patients,” Scott said in the statement.

“The slides in question were from a 40-minute session on complex issues nurse practitioners face in clinical practice for the purpose of encouraging discussion, analysis and evaluation. The sessions are designed to give students the opportunity to engage with professionals on a wide variety of topics they may encounter in the field.”

Scott said the slides were presented to 31 Doctor of Nursing Practice students during three days of seminars held during the final semester of the doctoral program.

“The material is not provided to undergraduate nursing students,” Scott said in the statement.

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

“The seminars are intended to teach students to think critically, a skill that will enable them to be effective health care providers. The College of Nursing faculty members share evidence-based information, but do not recommend any specific practice guidelines related to gender-related issues. Students are taught that providers need to choose their own approach to such issues.”

The “leaked” photos sparked controversy, debate and outright hate-speech from users across the site, including comment from former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, who said that the college “is teaching the next generation of nurses to brainwash children as young as 3-years old into thinking they can choose their own gender.”

Elon Musk, who owns the social media platform, also weighed in on the topic, replying to the post with a single exclamation point.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the sex that a person is assigned at birth and their gender identity are two separate things.

“Most children between ages 18 and 24 months can recognize and label gender groups …. Most also label their own gender by the time they reach age 3,” the clinic said. “It’s important to remember that gender identity and gender expression are different concepts. A child’s gender identity doesn’t always lead to a certain gender expression. And a child’s gender expression doesn’t always point to the child’s gender identity.”

In a 2018 policy statement regarding care and support for LGBTQ children and adolescents, the American Acadamy of Pediatrics say that those in the community and other underserved populations face “numerous health disparities.”

“Despite some advances in public awareness and legal protections, youth who identify as LGBTQ continue to face disparities that stem from multiple sources, including inequitable laws and policies, societal discrimination, and a lack of access to quality health care, including mental health care,” the AAP said. “Such challenges are often more intense for youth who do not conform to social expectations and norms regarding gender.”

Originally reported by the Arizona Republic, UA officials on Thursday said they were investigating the post, providing the outlet with a statement via email.

According to the Republic, the College of Nursing said that the university strives to “provide balanced perspectives on complex health care concepts as we teach critical thinking to this next generation of students.”

Faculty members have received many emails “filled with extreme vitriol,” according to the Republic. This has prompted the College of Nursing to allow staff to work from home if they wish, according to the news outlet.

The Arizona Daily Star has reached out for comment by the UA, its College of Nursing and UA LGBTQ Affairs, however no response has been received by Friday afternoon.

These concerns come just before the one-year anniversary of the death of UA professor Dr. Thomas Meixner, who was shot on-campus last October, allegedly by a former student.