Joint Statement in Support of Transgender Children and Families

Joint Statement from members of the LGBTQ Studies Program, the President’s Advisory Committee for LGBTQIA+ Initiatives, the Provost’s LGBTQIA+ Access, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, and the Pride and Equity Faculty & Staff Association


As researchers, higher education professionals, and educators, we support age-appropriate, evidence-based standards of care for transgender youth. This week, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a new interpretation of state law that says that providing children with certain types of gender affirming medical care — including treatments like hormone therapy and puberty blockers — is abuse, which directly contradicts research and medical practice of licensed professionals across the state and the country Gov. Greg Abbott followed with a directive ordering state agencies to investigate any reported instances of providing such care. This directive mandates that licensed professionals report transgender medical care as "child abuse" and face criminal charges if they fail to do so. The general public has similar reporting responsibilities, according to Abbott, and will face similar criminal penalties for failing to report.

The research evidence on the health and wellbeing of transgender and gender diverse youth is consistent and unequivocal: support for a child’s gender expression, and support for their social or medical gender transition, is clearly linked to mental and physical health and wellbeing. The nation’s leading child development societies (the Society for Research in Child Development, and the Society for Research on Adolescence), and the nation’s premier pediatric medical associations (The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine) strongly oppose efforts to prevent evidence-based care for transgender and gender diverse youth.

“These are cruel and shameless actions by Paxton and Abbott,” said Professor Lisa Moore, Director of LGBTQ Studies at UT-Austin. “This is nothing more than a cynical attempt to weaponize children’s lives for political gain.”

“Transgender children deserve gender-affirming care. Transgender children and their families deserve to know that they are safe, loved, and valued by their fellow Texans,” she added.

“Texas law protects families from false reports of child abuse,” said Stephen Russell, Priscilla Pond Flawn Regents Professor in Child Development at UT-Austin. “Parents should be allowed to provide evidence based support for their children. And all Texans deserve accurate information about the best ways to support children - including transgender-affirming care.”


Support at UT:
Gender and Sexuality Center (GSC)
Resources & Tips for Transgender Students
Queer Voices Discussion Group
Gender Diverse Voices Discussion Group
Trans Thursdays Social Group
Center for Women’s & Gender Studies
LGBTQ Studies
Counseling and Mental Health Center & CMHC Support Groups
Multicultural Engagement Center
Title IX Office, UT policy on Non-Discrimination
University Resource Groups for faculty and staff:
Pride & Equity Faculty Staff Association (PEFSA)

Support in Austin:

allgo, a statewide queer people of color organization
Black Trans Leadership of Austin
Equality Texas
OutYouth
PFLAG
TransParent, Austin Chapter

Other Support and Resources:
Transgender Education Network of Texas
Resources for Trans Kids in Texas
LGBTQIA+ Students’ Rights Toolkit
Trans Lifeline, crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for transgender people
The Trevor Project, crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ youth
Rally to Support Trans Youth