Texas Governor Greg Abbott is facing extreme controversy and backlash following a new initiative that aims to apply the definition of child abuse to transgender youth and their parents. In a recent letter sent to the Texas State Department Of Family & Protective Services, Gregg Abbott ordered them to conduct “prompt and thorough” investigations into the use of gender-affirming care for transgender children as a form of “child abuse.”
@WashingtonPost reports, the letter written by Greg Abbott directly cited the opinion of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton earlier this month, which stated that certain gender-affirming treatments for transgender youth, specifically gender reassignment surgery and puberty-blocking medications, “can legally constitute child abuse under several provisions” of Texas law.
He also added in the letter that the Family & Protective Service agency “is responsible for protecting children from abuse.”
Additionally, Governor Abbott stated that all doctors, nurses, and teachers within the state of Texas should report all instances of child abuse and that existing law “provides criminal penalties for failure to report such child abuse.” He aims to include the gender-affirming treatments as formal child abuse underneath this law.
In October, Greg Abbott signed a law officially banning transgender girls from playing in female sports teams within the Texas public school system.
Meanwhile, last summer, the Department of Family & Protective Services began to categorize certain gender-affirming surgeries as “child abuse” following intense pressure to do so from Governor Abbott.
Want updates directly in your text inbox? Hit us up at 917-722-8057 or click here to join!
