District attorneys in Texas have hit back against the state governor’s “un-American” statement equating gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers, to “child abuse”.
Five district attorneys spoke out after Texas governor Greg Abbott ordered state officials to investigate any reports of trans children receiving gender-affirming care, with a view to prosecute.
Abbott echoed the view of Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, who earlier this week claimed gender-affirming surgeries and puberty blockers could be considered child abuse under Texas law.
The ditrict attorneys’ joint statement against the directive unequivocally states that they will “not irrationally and unjustifiably interfere with medical decisions”.
The five attorneys stated they were “proud” to “lift up and protect communities”.
In response to Governor Abbott and AG Paxton’s directives regarding transgender youth care: pic.twitter.com/oPHH7PBfz7
— Dallas County DA (@Dallas_DA) February 24, 2022
The Twitter statement from five attorneys, including Dallas County district attorney John Creuzot, reads:”We are deeply disturbed by Governor Abbott and Attorney General Paxton’s cruel directives treating transgender children’s access to life-saving, gender-affirming care as ‘child abuse’.
“This is part of a continued onslaught on personal freedoms.
“Elected officials should be protecting our most vulnerable. These two, instead, want to irrationally target and restrain children seeking medical assistance – and force caregivers to participate. This is un-American. We cannot stand silent in the face of such an egregious invasion of privacy.”
The statement continued: “We will enforce the Constitution and will not irrationally and unjustifiably interfere with medical decisions made between children, their parents, and their medical physicians.
“We have a choice: we can launch politically motivated attacks, or we can lift up and protect communities. We are proud to do the latter.”
Sex-change operations and puberty blockers prescribed to kids is “child abuse” under Texas law.
These procedures are monstrous and tragic. “I’ll do everything I can to protect against those who take advantage of and harm young Texans. https://t.co/AOoO5NNmyC
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) February 21, 2022
Republican governor Abbott said earlier this week that the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services should “protect” trans children from receiving gender-affirming healthcare.
He added that the agency should “conduct prompt and thorough investigations of any reported instances of Texas children being subjected to abusive gender-transitioning procedures.”
Brian Klosterboer, staff attorney at the ACLU of Texas, has insisted Abbott and Paxton’s words have “no legal effect” and can’t change the state’s law “nor usurp the constitutional rights” of families.
Since Paxton and Abbott’s statements, tens of thousands of people have taken a stand by creating a wave of online petitions fighting to protect trans youth from the damaging order.
One petition, signed by more than 22,000 people, calls on Abbott to “stop destroying transgender minor’s lives in Texas”.
Jessica Ryan, a 29-year-old trans woman who set up the petition, said she “cannot stand by and watch this happen.”
She added: “People in power need to understand that being transgender is not a choice, it’s not a mental illness, and helping your child get treatment for gender dysphoria is not abuse.”
Actor Elliot Page has also stood up against Paxton and Abbott’s damaging statement, calling their views “inhumane and damaging.”
“Trans youth deserve gender-affirming care and to be able to live their true, authentic selves without fear and oppression. I stand with trans youth and their families,” he said.