Earlier this year in March, Gov. Greg Abbott sent a letter to Texas State Health Agencies, stating that “gender affirming-care medical treatments to transgender youths” constitutes as “child abuse” under state law. It stated that doctors, nurses, and teachers are legally required to report to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS). The U.S Department of Health and Human Services made a statement saying that denying trans youth health care is discriminatory and illegal under federal law. 

The letter was primarily targeted at parents who give their children gender-affirming care. Many supporters of Abbott’s decision argue that banning gender-affirming care will benefit these children as this treatment is experimental, but I’d argue that banning it is counter-intuitive. 

One of the most controversial gender-affirming care treatments is puberty blockers. Although puberty blockers haven’t had many recorded studies, many experts say that it’s safe to be used. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved puberty blockers for children who start puberty at a young age in 1993. A study by the Department of Psychiatry showed that transgender youth who took puberty blockers had significantly better mental health, such as lower odds of lifetime suicidal ideation, than transgender youth who desired puberty blockers but didn’t receive them

There are some known long-term side effects, such as lower bone density, but patients are closely monitored to be treated for these effects. Puberty development is also reversible, once it’s out of a child’s system they should go through the development of their sex assigned at birth. 

However, some side effects might not yet be known, as this is a modern treatment. Many of the people who’ve taken puberty blockers are not very old as the tests are recent, but this shouldn’t be a reason to ban this medical treatment. 

If anything, this shows that this is a treatment worth looking into and studying. Constituting treatment like this “child abuse” is counter-productive to helping these children. 

This action has caused many teachers to be put in an uncomfortable situation they shouldn’t be in. A teacher’s job is to protect students and make them feel safe at school, but when a teacher is made to report a student because they’re transgender, this of course makes transgender students feel unsafe in what should be a welcoming place.

Many parents of transgender kids have been worried or might even consider moving to other states just because they support their children. Other parents and transgender kids might have to keep this secretive in fear of possibly having conflicts with DFPS, or even worse. 

Fortunately, many Texas officials have stated that they would not be complying with Abbott’s orders or have tried to prevent its enforcement. Austin’s mayor, Steve Adler, declared the city a “safe and inclusive city for transgender families”. The Texas Supreme Court ruled that Gov. Abbott didn’t have a reason to send this order out. However, more can still be done to help the transgender youth.