Gregory Wayne Abbott (born November 13, 1957) is an American attorney who has served as the 48th governor of Texas since January 20, 2015. A member of the Republican Party, Abbott previously served as the 50th attorney general of Texas from 2002 to 2015. He is the third governor of any U.S. state to permanently use a wheelchair. He is also the first disabled governor in Texas history.
Conversion Therapy—Not Gender Affirming Care—Is Real 'Child Abuse' | Opinion
Greg Abbott claims to care about the safety and well-being of transgender minors, but his recent policy of classifying gender-affirming care as "child abuse" only causes more suffering to some of Texas' most vulnerable children.
This policy is not only harmful, but is based in ignorance and disregards medical standards. While the court system determines the legality of this policy, Governor Abbott should shift his efforts to ban a practice that actually harms children: conversion therapy.Gender-affirming care has been proven vital for the well-being of transgender youth.
The standard of care is highly individualized, recommended by the leading medical organizations and ensures that treatment is aligned toward appreciating and supporting one's gender identity.The standard is conducted under the care of licensed professions after a lengthy consultation with kids and their parents, which always involves a psychological evaluation.
Treatment only involves medical intervention, like puberty suppression and hormone therapy, late into one's transition process.
