White House: Texas stance on gender-affirming care for transgender youth is ‘dangerous’

The Biden administration on Wednesday said it was needless and dangerous for Texas elected officials to label gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth as “child abuse.” In exclusive statements provided to The Dallas Morning News, a White House spokesperson said families should have the right to seek the appropriate health care for their children and blasted state GOP officials for targeting LGBTQ youth. “Conservative officials in Texas and other states across the country should stop inserting themselves into health care decisions that create needless tension between pediatricians and their patients,” White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. “No parent should face the agony of a politician standing in the way of accessing life-saving care for their child.” On Monday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a new interpretation of state law that said certain types of medical care for transgender youth are “child abuse.” Gov. Greg Abbott responded the next day by directing state agencies to investigate allegations of abuse, warning that doctors, teachers and parents who fail to report could face consequences.

Attorney general opinions do not have the force of law, but agency leaders are mostly expected to follow them. Since agency heads are often appointed by the governor himself, Abbott’s support for Paxton’s opinion makes their choice in heeding the warning more clear. But how these statewide decisions trickle down to the actions of — and consequences for — transgender children and the adults in their lives is unclear at this time. On Wednesday, five district attorneys from across the state, including Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot, condemned Paxton’s opinion and Abbott’s directive, describing them as a politically motivated “onslaught on personal freedoms.” Houston and Travis county top prosecutorial attorneys have vowed not to pursue cases based on the Paxton opinion. Republican politicians in Texas have recently begun to put health care for transgender children under the spotlight. Abbott and Paxton are facing their most competitive GOP primary election in years. Former state Sen. Don Huffines, who is challenging the governor, has repeatedly pressured Abbott to take a more aggressive stance against gender-affirming care for children. But Abbott and Paxton’s directive on “child abuse” and trans care flies in the face of best practices backed by state and national medical groups.