A US federal judge Friday temporarily restrained Texas from investigating doctors or parents over gender-affirming care for minors. The order includes families who are a part of LGBTQ+ organization PFLAG.
Ken Paxton, the state’s attorney general, released an opinion which prompted the investigation in February. The opinion states that under Texas law any gender-affirming care provided to a minor is “child abuse.”
Paxton stated following the opinion:
There is no doubt that these procedures are ‘abuse’ under Texas law, and thus must be halted. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) has a responsibility to act accordingly. I’ll do everything I can to protect against those who take advantage of and harm young Texans.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott approved the opinion and mandated that state agencies investigate gender-affirming care for minors as child abuse.
The case filed earlier this week is brought by three transgender children and their parents, who began being investigated after the children were prescribed gender-affirming treatment.
Brian Bond, PFLAG executive director, said following the order that “[f]amilies will be protected from invasive, unnecessary, and unnerving investigations by DFPS simply for helping their transgender children thrive and be themselves is a very good thing.”