• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a legal opinion calling gender-affirming medical care “child abuse.”
• Paxton made false claims of there being “no evidence” to support the effectiveness of gender-affirming hormone therapy for transgender youth.
• Not all gender-affirming care, including surgery, is available to those under 18 years old in the United States.
• Gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers, is accessible only under the direction of a medical professional.
• Social support and access to puberty blockers can have a positive impact on trans kids’ mental health.

The fight for transgender rights in the United States is on shaky ground in conservative majority states like Texas.

On Feb. 18, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton released a legal opinion on pediatric gender-affirming care, comparing the treatments to “child abuse” under the Texas Family Code.

“There is no doubt that these procedures are ‘abuse’ under Texas law, and thus must be halted,” Paxton wrote in a statement. “The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) has a responsibility to act accordingly. I’ll do everything I can to protect against those who take advantage of and harm young Texans.”

Paxton’s remarks are an attack on transgender youth. But he also made false medical claims that there’s “no evidence” that gender-affirming hormone therapy can support trans kids’ mental health.

Critics have called Paxton’s remarks an attack on transgender youth. Transgender children also...

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