GOVERNOR ABBOTT CONTINUES TO TRAUMATIZE FAMILIES BY SPREADING FEAR AND MISINFORMATION ABOUT TRANSGENDER KIDS

Political pandering at the expense of transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming young people perpetuates a hostile climate and discrimination. 

Contact: Kara Watkins-Chow | kara.watkinschow@berlinrosen.com

Austin, Texas – August 6, 2021 – Equality Texas, the largest statewide organization solely dedicated to securing full equality for LGBTQ+ Texans, responded today to Governor Greg Abbott’s letter to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) regarding healthcare for transgender adolescents. Ricardo Martinez (he/him), Chief Executive Officer of Equality Texas, released the following statement:

“After hinting at a plan to single-handedly ban affirming, lifesaving healthcare for transgender youth, today Governor Abbott released a letter that perpetuates dangerous lies and misinformation for the sake of political posturing. Using language that experts have repeatedly shown directly harms transgender Texans, the Governor’s letter to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) relies on falsehoods about what affirming care for transgender teens looks like. This is nothing more than another political attempt to stigmatize transgender people, their loving families, and the healthcare providers who offer them lifesaving care.

“Every legislative year, opponents of equality present the public with a new, fabricated ‘emergency’ and misinformation related to LGBTQ+ people to create fear about our community. This year the Governor’s target is children. The language used in his letter to DFPS has nothing to do with the reality of affirming healthcare practices, which are careful, thoughtful, and backed by every credible medical association. 

“The World Professional Association of Transgender Health, the American Psychological Association, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Endocrine Society, the Pediatric Endocrine Society, the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, support age-appropriate gender-affirming care for transgender people, including thoughtful care for adolescents, as safe, medically necessary, and life-saving. This care is backed by peer-reviewed studies that show that transition care saves lives. 

“Fearmongering about the lives of transgender people fuels discrimination and further alienates kids who are already experiencing crisis as a result of the most cruel legislative attacks on LGBTQ+ people in recent memory. The sustained targeting of transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming kids by Texas leaders has plunged these kids and their families into crisis. Transgender kids are already at greater risk of bullying and verbal and physical abuse, and the current political climate has only increased these risks. 

“We ask that the Governor simply leave these kids alone and get back to governing Texas.” 

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Equality Texas is the largest statewide organization working to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Texans through political action, education, community organizing, and collaboration.

The Equality Texas Foundation works to secure full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Texans through education, community organizing, and collaboration.