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

[LetMyPeopleVote]

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

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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?

[PortTack]

1. Move away... NOW!!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

2. I prefer to fight these assholes

Texas will turn blue and these assholes will be sorry when sane people are in control. This mess has made me even more determined to fight to turn Texas blue

[cbabe]

8. Stay and fight. But move your child to safety. (Like the Ukrainians.)

[LetMyPeopleVote]

9. My youngest child is too old to be subject to these assholes jurisdiction

None of my children are transexual and they are all adults. My youngest is LGBT and is active on these issues but she just turned 30.

[IngridsLittleAngel]

13. Do both... Or, at least, be prepared to do both...

Fight these assholes, absolutely. If no one fights back, Texas takes several steps toward truly becoming Texbekistan, and it encourages other red states to follow suit (see: Idaho.)

However, should these fuckers manage to make gains in the legal system, ramp up the cruelty, or even just defy rulings and laws and continue this? Be prepared to move the hell out, if needed.

I'd rather not see Texas completely go under to Drumpfism and become a fascist state. But I'd rather not see trans children harmed by the system either.

Sad. Sad that this is the kind of fucking shit we're watching unfold... here.

[PortTack]

14. Kudos to you....I just feel bad for the kids

[Cha]

3. Rt TY.. this unreal..

So sorry this is happening to this family.

[vercetti2021]

4. Sick fucks

Why are they so obsessed with what genitalia kids have? Fucking perverted fucks Abbott and his crew is

[atreides1]

6. They're not

But the religious fanatics, bible thumpers, jebus freaks are...and those wastes of air and space vote! This is how Abbot and the Repukes get those votes and stay in power!!!

The Texas abortion laws were just the beginning...

[vercetti2021]

7. Yet we outnumber them

Truly a fucked up democracy. People take voting for granted and do not do it.

[IngridsLittleAngel]

12. That's the problem...

They don't want democracy. They want fascism, with them being the dictators. They've been like this for a long time, honestly. Come 2015 and Drumpf, they decided to take off the masks and quit hiding it.

Whether it's hurting trans people, or trying to overthrow elections, these people have made it clear that their utopia has no human rights and no democracy - just them in charge, unilaterally deciding who has the right to live.

And yes. Absolutely. It's time for more people to stand up and speak up and vote... assuming they still can. We all know where there are some states that I'm not so sure it's easy to do so now - thanks to these Nazis.

[IngridsLittleAngel]

11. They're bigots

They don't like people of color or immigrants much more than they like trans people, and as we see they have nothing but hatred for the trans community. But they hate anyone who isn't like them or meets their approval, period. Oh, sure, they love the drag out the Bible - because who doesn't love the Bible or the flag? But these fuckers wouldn't know "God" or "Jesus" if they were standing right in front of them. Why? Because they care as much about the Bible as atheists do.

The only use they have for a Bible is for bashing people over the head with it. The only religion they believe in is corruption, greed and cruelty. Ohh, and Trumpism, of course. After all, people like Abbott spend more time praying to Tronald Dump than they do Jesus Christ.

[LittleGirl]

5. I am stunned! So sorry for this family. eom

[IngridsLittleAngel]

10. This is awful...

It's tough enough being trans in this world... Hell, it's tough enough being a kid, or being a parent. But then to be dragged through the system and investigated like this, just because you want to do what is best for your kid and a bunch of small-minded Nazi thugs hate trans people...

Child abuse is a very real thing. When that happens, there do need to be investigations, charges, you name it. No question there. But doing what is best for your kids and helping a trans child live their best life - which means living as their true gender - IS NOT ABUSE. It's love. It's being a good parent, the best parent you can be dealing with unique circumstances.

What is abuse, however? Siccing the system upon such parents, and falsely accusing them of being abusers. Dragging their child through the system, all because you're a small-minded bigot who refuses to understand or even show compassion to anyone who isn't like you or fits your narrow view of the world.

Abbott and Paxton are bullies and bigots. Period. And anyone goon with CPS who just "followed orders" is no better than the Nazi soldiers of the 1930's and 1940's in my book. As we know, "following orders" is not an excuse or a defense.

They are also right in saying we do not need anyone to try to normalize any of this shit. There are no "both sides", there is no "debate." You either believe trans people are humans and trans rights are human rights, or you're a bigot like Abbott and Paxton and others.

I hope when this ugly chapter is done, people will see that the only "child abuse" that took place came from the governor's mansion and the AG's office and CPS itself. And it is people like Abbott and Paxton, not wonderful parents like these and others who love their trans children, who need to be investigated and charged with child abuse.

[summer_in_TX]

15. These folks need our help. Those on Twitter can amplify their voices.

Neither Amber nor her husband Adam Briggle have a very large Twitter following.

Amber Briggle @mrsbriggle has a thread of ways to help.

Link to tweet

People have asked how they can help. Thank you.In no particular order and in a very long thread, this is what my family needs right now:1. For you to stay mad. Publicly shame @KenPaxtonTX amd @GregAbbott_TX over this. 2. Write letters to the editor.3...— Amber Briggle (she/her) (@mrsbriggle) March 10, 2022

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3. Update your voter registration.4. Vote in the primaries. Keep extreme candidates off the ballot in the generals.5. Feed me mozzarella sticks.6. Also a vacation on the beach.7. Pass the #EqualityAct8. Vote @BetoORourke in November9...— Amber Briggle (she/her) (@mrsbriggle) March 10, 2022

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9. Pressure the media to pay more attention to trans kids.10. Tell the media to stop bumping these stories bc there's always something "more important."11. Tell them to stop getting "both sides" of the story. We don't debate the existence of people. Full stop.12...— Amber Briggle (she/her) (@mrsbriggle) March 10, 2022

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12. Donate to pro-equality candidates. President on down to school board.13. Donate to @ACLUTx and @LambdaLegal who are providing free lawyers to families like mine.14. Give to the @SouthernEqual legal defense fund for families needing legal representation, therapy, etc15...— Amber Briggle (she/her) (@mrsbriggle) March 10, 2022

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15. Offer me a large glass of wine. LARGE.16. Please let me take a nap.17. Do literally anything. 18. Don't let @KenPaxtonTX or @GregAbbott_TX kidnap my children. Please.19. DO SOMETHING.#ProtectTransKids— Amber Briggle (she/her) (@mrsbriggle) March 10, 2022

[LetMyPeopleVote]

16. Ken Paxton (Texas) is suing Biden to prevent disruption of his cruel targeting of families of trans

This is bullshit and forum shopping. Amarillo is in a very conservative part of Texas

Link to tweet