Texas Judge Blocks Probes of Trans Kids' Supportive Parents Statewide
directive that claimed letting kids access gender-affirming care is child abuse.It comes days after a Texas court denied the state’s appeal of a restraining order temporarily blocking the investigation of one set of parents who’ve allowed their transgender daughter to access gender-affirming care.Texas Civil District Court Judge Amy Clark Meachum last week granted the restraining order, which stopped this investigation, and after Friday's hearing to consider blocking Abbott’s directive statewide, she decided to do so.She ruled that Abbott's order was not adopted properly and violated the Texas constitution.
He had ordered the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate all parents who allow their kids to receive such care.
He based his order on a nonbinding opinion from Attorney General Ken Paxton. Both are far-right, anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans.The family who sued, identified only as the Does, is one of several families who have been contacted by investigators since Abbott issued his directive in late February.
The Does and a Houston psychologist who objects to Abbott’s order are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, the national ACLU, and Lambda Legal.CNN reported Thursday that the state was currently investigating nine cases related to the order.Last week, President Joe Biden released a statement calling Abbott’s order “government overreach at its worst.”“Like so many anti-transgender attacks proliferating in states across the country, the Governor’s actions callously threaten to harm children and their families just to score political points.
