Gov. Greg Abbott (R) ordered the state’s Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to “conduct a prompt and thorough investigation” of any instances of sex-change procedures in children, saying such procedures constitute child abuse under Texas law.
The governor’s letter to the state agency, dated February 22, also notes that state law requires the DFPS to investigate the parents of such children and requires “other state agencies to investigate licensed facilities where such procedures may occur.” The letter defines sex-change procedures to include “reassignment surgeries that can cause sterilization, mastectomies, removals of otherwise healthy body parts, and administration of puberty-blocking drugs or supraphysiologic doses of testosterone or estrogen.”
The Endocrine Society swiftly condemned Abbott’s action. “This policy rejects evidence-based transgender medical care and will restrict access to care for teenagers experiencing gender incongruence or dysphoria,” the organization said in a press release. “Healthcare providers should not be punished for providing evidenced-based care that is supported by major international medical groups — including the Endocrine Society, American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics — and clinical practice guidelines.”
“Medical evidence, not politics, should inform treatment decisions,” the society continued.
