Opinion: Texas officials are spreading blatant falsehoods about medical care for transgender kids

[LetMyPeopleVote]

Abbott and Paxton are lying about Trans children

Link to tweet

Yet last month, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and state Attorney General Ken Paxton worked together to label as “child abuse” standard-of-care medical practices for transgender youths that have been endorsed by major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. They also directed the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate parents who help their children access such care.

This tragic mistake is on par with putting children with diabetes into foster care because their parents gave them their insulin.

Over decades, the medical profession has developed protocols to help young people align their bodies with who they know themselves to be. We start with fully reversible interventions (temporary puberty blockers) and move toward less-reversible interventions (e.g., testosterone or estrogen) while providing psychotherapy so teens can better understand themselves and make informed decisions. With this approach, we’ve seen young transgender people thrive. Abbott and Paxton want to undo that progress......

No parent should have to decide between going to prison and withholding necessary care from their child. Health policy needs to be driven by data and expertise, not misinformation and political rhetoric. I hope Paxton and Abbot will not let their political ambitions cloud their responsibility to protect the welfare of children in their state, and I pray they will change course immediately.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. For Abbott and Paxton: the pain is the point. Also, it helps their right-wing credibility. n/t

[IngridsLittleAngel]

2. They spread blatant falsehoods about trans people, period. And always have.

Why? Because they hate us, and want to destroy us. By making us out to be some sort of evil boogeyman, they hope to get people to agree with them and their efforts to ruin our lives and kill us.

It also doesn't hurt that the QOP are world-class liars. These evil fuckers are so dishonest they make Harry Mudd look like Abraham Lincoln.

I'm glad it's all getting called out - the cruelty, the lies, and just how fucking illegal all of this is.

Abbott and Paxton for Prison!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

3. Yes, Texas is investigating parents of trans kids. We are two of them.

Abbott and Paxton have caused the parents of a trans child to be investigated, This is sickening

Link to tweet

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recently issued an opinion that gender affirming care for transgender youth constitutes “child abuse.” This is, in fact, not state law. Nonetheless, Texas Governor Greg Abbott used that opinion to require teachers and others to report the parents of transgender youth, and he directed the Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate such allegations.

On Thursday Feb. 24, a statewide dragnet began. Child Protective Services (CPS) notified several parents that allegations of child abuse have been filed against them. We are among those parents. We are speaking out, because we need people to see that these illegal raids on loving families represent a tipping point. Political attacks against transgender youth have escalated over the years to bring us to this decisive moment. It is time for a national reckoning.

Nothing we say will change the minds of the authoritarians directing this horror show. We are speaking to the sympathetic majority of America. We need you to not normalize this state terrorism through your silence. Don’t just wring your hands. We need you to draw a line right here. It is not acceptable that some Americans have to flee their homes to secure their civil rights. Stop telling us to move. Help us.

We are working professionals with two happy, healthy, and kind children. We drive a minivan, volunteer, and go to church. Our son, age 14, is in gymnastics and plays the ukulele. Our daughter, age 9, is in Girl Scouts and does swimming and ballet. We have a suburban home with a pantry full of food and a trampoline in the backyard. In short, we are living our lives just like you. We are the family you would want to place a foster child with, not the family whose children should become foster kids themselves. And yet, the government is attempting to rip our family apart because we love our children unconditionally. Is this who we are, America?

[ZonkerHarris]

4. Yes, this is who Texas is. I know they don't like the "move" advice but it is best.

There are better safer places to raise a transgender child in this country than Texas.
I mean how are we supposed to "draw the line" as they say in the piece.
except for legal challenges what else can you do with a corrupt government who cares not one whit for what the public thinks and rules by fiat?
Fucking move.
Now.
Your' kids are not safe there.

[EndlessWire]

5. I don't know what to think.

I can't imagine what confuses these "leaders" so much that they want to harm children. Labeling parents as child abusers because they are actually caring for their children is just so unfathomable.

It just seems like some evil thing has given permission for them to drop their facade of "noble leaders" and reveal themselves to be aligned with Satan. WTF is wrong with them?

Please don't reelect these people. They are an embarrassment.