Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently directed state agencies to perform “prompt and thorough” investigations into the use of gender-affirming care for transgender children. This type of treatment is gender affirmation hormone therapy that is prescribed to help an individual gain the characteristics that best match their gender identity. Abbott claims that this type of medical care and treatment is a form of “child abuse”.

On February 22, Greg Abbott stated in a letter addressed to the State Department of Family and Protective Services that certain treatments of the gender-affirming hormonal therapy for transgender children “can legally constitute child abuse under several provisions” of state law, this includes gender reassignment surgery and puberty-blocking medications as well. Abbott cited that it is the responsibility of the protective services to “protect children from abuse”.

The Department of Family and Protective Services did not send out a response to whether it would follow up on the instruction. However, a spokesperson did tell Dallas Morning News that it no longer had any pending investigations for this topic. Abbott continued to push for this directive and insisted that medical care workers and teachers have an obligation to investigate and observe situations involving child abuse and mentioned that the current law “provides criminal penalties for failure to report such child abuse.”

The State of Texas and Governor have also attempted to limit the treatments available for transgender youths, as well as attempting to limit access to the bathroom and participation in sports. In October, Abbott signed a new law that bans transgender girls from participating and playing with female sports teams in a public-school environment.

Texas children that are receiving gender-affirming care, as well as their families, are currently terrified of the possibility of Gov. Greg Abbott’s order holding up in court. Some families are so concerned for the rights of their children and families that they are even considering moving out of the state of Texas.

El Paso County Attorney Jo Anne Bernal chose not to follow recent directives by state leaders calling for investigations into the usage of gender-affirming care for transgender children as abuse.

A month has passed since the declaration of this order, and the directive issued by Abbott is still in order, impacting transgender children across the state.