<\/p>\n
Washington, Feb 26 (AFP\/APP):”Unethical,” “scary” and “maddening” — human rights groups have reacted with fury to a Texas order that a state agency should investigate cases of transgender children receiving gender-affirming medical care as child abuse.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, Republican Governor Greg Abbott sent a letter to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, directing it to probe “any reported instances of Texas children being subjected to abusive gender-transitioning procedures”.<\/p>\n
The order — which has been condemned by US President Joe Biden’s Democratic administration — followed a legal opinion issued by the Texas attorney general stating that “a number of so-called ‘sex-change’ procedures for minors already constitute child abuse under existing Texas law.”<\/p>\n
Human Rights Campaign, a US-based LGBTQ advocacy group, called the opinion and order “unprecedented” and “a craven, politically motivated attempt to criminalize healthcare decisions made between parents, medical experts, and transgender youth.”<\/p>\n
In a virtual meeting hosted by the group, 11-year-old Libby Gonzalez said it “feels very scary”.<\/p>\n
“It’s also super annoying that all of these lawmakers are just bullying me and other trans and non-binary kids. It’s really sad,” she said.<\/p>\n
“To say that it’s scary is an understatement of a lifetime,” said her mother, Rachel Gonzales.<\/p>\n
The US-based League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) on Friday called the order “unethical and illegal.”<\/p>\n
In a statement, LULAC LGBTQ committee chair Jesse Garcia said the move was “attacking a marginalized population… to score political points” and “fueling discrimination.”<\/p>\n
Dr. Stephen Rosenthal, medical director of the Child and Adolescent Gender Center, which offers medical care and advocacy to transgender children, called the moves “maddening.”<\/p>\n
“There are more than 25 years of published scientific evidence that support current clinical practice guidelines and standards of care,” he said.<\/p>\n
“This interdisciplinary model of care that is referred to as a gender-affirming approach has been endorsed by every major medical and mental health professional health society in the United States.”<\/p>\n
The Transgender Law Center has slammed the opinion and order as seeking “to criminalize parents, caregivers, guardians, or health care professionals.”<\/p>\n
The White House issued its own condemnation on Thursday.<\/p>\n
“The Texas Attorney General’s attack on loving parents who seek medical care for their transgender children is dangerous to the health of kids in Texas and part of a much larger trend of conservative officials cynically attacking LGBTQI+ youth to score political points,” a spokesperson told US media.<\/p>\n
Several US states, including South Dakota, Alabama and Florida, have put forward legislation regarding transgender youth in recent years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Washington, Feb 26 (AFP\/APP):”Unethical,” “scary” and “maddening” — human rights groups have reacted with fury to a Texas order that a state agency should investigate cases of transgender children receiving gender-affirming medical care as child abuse. Earlier this week, Republican Governor Greg Abbott sent […]<\/p>\n
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