FORT WORTH, Texas — The Texas attorney general's recent legal opinion that called transgender health care for minors "child abuse" cited sources in a misleading way and drew parallels that researchers say simply do not exist, according to an analysis by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a legal opinion on Feb. 18, saying that certain types of gender-affirming health care, including puberty blockers and surgery, should be classified as child abuse when used for minors. Several days later, Gov. Greg Abbott issued a letter directing state agencies to investigate transgender health care for youth as abuse.
Gender-affirming care can include a host of services, from counseling sessions to surgery. However, surgeries are rare for minors, and medical experts already recommend that such surgeries be delayed until after a transgender person turns 18.
