Summary: <p>In Texas this week, Governor Greg Abbott <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21272649-abbott-letter-to-masters">issued an order</a> to state agencies criminalizing gender-affirming surgery and medical care for trans youth. This decision followed <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/02/23/greg-abbott-gender-affirming-care-child-abuse-directive/">an opinion issued</a> by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton earlier in the week stating that providing gender-affirming medical care to minors is considered child abuse under Texas law.</p> <p>While Gov. Abbott is saying that gender-affirming care could be considered child abuse, medical organizations including the <a href="https://www.psychiatry.org/File%20Library/About-APA/Organization-Documents-Policies/Policies/Position-2018-Access-to-Care-for-Transgender-and-Gender-Diverse-Individuals.pdf">American Psychological Association</a> and the <a href="https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/12780">American Academy of Pediatrics</a> say there are long-standing and significant benefits for social, medical, legal and surgical aspects that assist transgender and gender-nonconforming young people.</p> <p>We heard from <a href="https://twitter.com/shappleyk?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Kimberly Shappley</a> and her daughter <a href="https://twitter.com/KaiShappley">Kai</a>, about how this directive in Texas is affecting Trans youth and their families. We also heard from <a href="https://www.transtexas.org/about">Andrea Segovia</a>, Senior Field and Policy Advisor at the Transgender Education Network of Texas.</p>
