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The
Austin hearing is part of a pushback against proposals in dozens
of U.S. states to criminalize the provision of gender-affirming
treatment to trans youth.
The American Civil Liberties Union sued Abbott over his
directive for probes that could remove trans children from
families and jail parents who provide them with what he called
procedures that "constitute child abuse."The February directive
also called on doctors, nurses and teachers to report such care
or face criminal penalties.
The ACLU is asking District Court Judge Amy Clark Meachum to
impose a statewide injunction on investigations by the
Department of Family Protective Services (DFPS) into what it
terms "medically necessary gender-affirming care."
Meachum last week temporarily blocked a probe of parents of a
16-year-old transgender girl, saying it would make them the
subject of "an unfounded child abuse investigation."
Opponents of gender-transitioning procedures say minors are too
young to make life altering decisions about their bodies.
Advocates argue the crucial care has been politically weaponized,
impacting the mental health of trans youth who suffer a
disproportionately high rate of suicide.
President Joe Biden in his State of the Union speech said state
laws targetting transgender Americans and their families were
"wrong" and vowed to pass non-discrimination legislation to
protect them.
The DFPS has opened nine child welfare inquiries subject to
Abbott's directive.
Abbott, a Republican running this year for a third term in
office, is named as a defendant in the court challenge, along
with DFPS and its commissioner, Jaime Masters.
(Reporting by Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico; Editing by Donna
Bryson and Stephen Coates)
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