PFLAG, a prominent LGBTQ advocacy organization in the United States, achieved a significant legal win on Friday as a temporary restraining order was granted to block Texas’ Republican Attorney General, Ken Paxton, from obtaining information about the group’s involvement with families of transgender minors seeking gender-affirming treatments.
Travis County District Court Judge Maria Cantú Hexsel issued the order, which will remain effective for at least two weeks, scheduling a hearing for March 25 to decide on prolonging the block during the case’s duration.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), representing PFLAG, expressed gratitude for the ruling, while Paxton’s office did not immediately respond. PFLAG, along with transgender adolescents’ families, is challenging Texas’ ban on gender-affirming care for minors and a rule mandating investigations into families seeking such care.
Preliminary orders have halted enforcement of these policies, albeit the ban on gender-affirming care remains during appeal.
Paxton’s office had demanded information from PFLAG regarding communications about families’ gender-affirming care plans, citing a consumer protection investigation without specifying potential law violations.
PFLAG argued that these demands aimed to bypass discovery suspension in prior lawsuits and could infringe on constitutional rights while exposing patients’ identities.
Judge Hexsel recognized potential harm to PFLAG, citing privacy invasions, and restrained Paxton from exploiting consumer protection laws. Texas is among over 20 states attempting to limit gender-affirming care for minors, leading to legal clashes with varying court outcomes.
The legal skirmish underscores the broader battle over transgender rights in Texas and beyond, highlighting the ongoing struggle for equality and the protection of LGBTQ individuals’ rights.
