Texas Governor Greg Abbott has launched another controversial directive, this time against transgender youth and their families.
Abbott called on “licensed professionals” and “members of the general public” to report the parents of transgender children to state authorities if they suspect the trans youth are receiving gender-affirming medical care.
This comes following an opinion released by the Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who said that allowing minors to receive transition care is “child abuse” under Texas state law. An opinion is an interpretation of laws that are in existence. It does not directly change any law but has the full ability to change how it is enforced.
Trans rights, LGBTQ rights, and human rights advocates and experts have said this is a direct attack on the LGBTQ and trans community, and that these opinions will spread fear and misinformation. A wave of condemnation came from rights groups, saying it will only produce more hatred for trans children.
Abbott sent a letter to the Department of Family and Protective Services calling for it to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation of any reports of minors undergoing what he called “elective procedures for gender transitioning.”
Paxton’s opinion came after the state Legislature failed to pass a bill last year that would have made it a felony to provide gender transition procedures to minors. It would have sat in the same criminal category of physical abuse and sexual abuse.
Experts say that it is clear Paxton and Abbott are making this stance due to political motivations because the opinions come just ahead of the March 1 Republican primary. Both Paxton and Abbott face many other contenders in their bids for re-election.
Texas governor has seemingly embraced controversially socially conservative positions recently, even as the state itself becomes even more diverse and has drifted more into the middle of the aisle than being exclusively a solid red state.
Texas has the second-highest number of trans people in America. About 126,000 adults in Texas identify as transgender. The only state with a higher number is California, which has about 219,000 trans adults.
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