Oregon Father Protests State Health Survey Asking 11‑Year‑Olds About Gender and Sexual Orientation

An Oregon father says he was alarmed to discover that his 11-year-old son was scheduled to receive the Oregon Health Authority’s 2024 Student Health Survey, which asks students about gender identity and sexual orientation.

What the survey asks

The questionnaire, distributed to sixth-, eighth- and eleventh-grade students, includes questions such as "What is your gender identity?" with response options that include "girl or woman," "boy or man," "demigirl/demiboy," "nonbinary," "genderfluid," "genderqueer or questioning," and "agender/no gender." It also asks whether a student is transgender and offers multiple response choices, including "Yes," "No," "I am not sure," "I don't know what this question is asking," and "I prefer not to answer."

The survey's terminology section defines less familiar terms — for example, it explains that "demigirl" or "demiboy" can describe someone who partially identifies with a given gender, and that people may identify with more than one label or none at all. Students are also invited to indicate sexual orientation, with options such as "straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, asexual or aromantic, queer, questioning" and a write-in choice for "something else."

Parent reaction

"It asks a lot of really confusing things of sixth graders. One of those is it discusses and asks about their gender and sexual identity," said Chuck Gonzales, whose son attends Minter Bridge Elementary in Hillsboro. Gonzales said his son did not understand the terms and described the material as "weird and sick and gross."

Gonzales said he first found the survey online, downloaded the PDF from the Oregon Health Authority's website, and shared the link with other parents. He said many families he contacted were unaware the questionnaire existed and that parents messaged him asking for the opt-out information.

In a video shared on social media, Gonzales urged other parents to attend school and city council meetings and to file opt-outs when appropriate. He described the survey as an intrusion on parental rights and on his religious values, and called on fellow parents to engage with school officials calmly but persistently.

School district response

Hillsboro School District communications officer Beth Graser said every parent and guardian received advance notice of the survey through the district's ParentSquare system and via a hard copy sent home with students. Graser confirmed the school received a signed opt-out form for the student in question and that he did not participate in the survey.

The Oregon Health Authority issued the survey for targeted grades. Parents who have questions about school communications or opt-out procedures are encouraged to contact their local district office for details.