A Texas appeals court has affirmed a lower court’s decision to block the state from investigating parents who support their transgender children with gender-affirming medical treatments.
This ruling comes after Governor Greg Abbott‘s directive in February 2022, ordering the Texas Department of Family Protective Services (DFPS) to conduct child abuse investigations into families whose children were undergoing puberty-blocking treatments.
A month later, a district court judge issued a statewide temporary injunction against these investigations, citing concerns about the well-being of children and their families.
The appeals court in Austin upheld this injunction in two rulings on Friday, marking a victory for LGBTQ groups, medical professionals, and civil liberties advocates who opposed conservative efforts in numerous states to criminalize gender-transitioning treatments for transgender youth.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) hailed the decision as an important win for transgender youth and their supporters. However, representatives for Governor Abbott and the DFPS have yet to comment on the ruling.
The legal challenge was brought forward by the ACLU and Lambda Legal on behalf of a 16-year-old transgender girl and her family, who were targeted for investigation under Abbott’s directive. The girl had been receiving puberty-delaying medications and hormone therapy.
The family’s situation escalated when the girl’s mother, a DFPS employee, was placed on paid leave after inquiring about the implications of Abbott’s directive for her family.
In its ruling, the district court expressed concerns about the potential harm caused by subjecting families to child abuse investigations, including the associated stigma and the risk of losing employment.
This legal battle occurs against the backdrop of Texas’s 2023 legislation restricting gender-affirming care for youth, aligning with similar measures in over a dozen states.
