Judge Blocks Texas Attorney General’s Attempt to Obtain Documents on Transgender Minors
In a recent development, a judge in Texas has temporarily halted the state’s attorney general from compelling an L.G.B.T.Q. organization to hand over documents related to transgender minors and gender-affirming care. The attorney general’s office, led by Ken Paxton, had demanded information from the nonprofit PFLAG National, which supports families in accessing gender-affirming care for children, as part of an investigation into violations of a law that prohibits medical care for gender transition in minors.
However, Judge Maria Cantú Hexsel of Travis County District Court issued an injunction against Mr. Paxton, stating that forcing PFLAG to disclose such information would cause irreparable harm and violate the group’s constitutional rights. The judge emphasized the potential invasion of privacy that the request posed to the organization’s members.
PFLAG, represented by lawyers including the American Civil Liberties Union, expressed gratitude for the court’s decision, highlighting the intrusive nature of the attorney general’s demands. Mr. Paxton’s office has not yet responded to the order but has previously defended the relevance of the information in his investigation into medical providers allegedly circumventing the ban on gender-affirming care for minors.
The ruling comes amidst a broader legislative landscape that has seen numerous states, including Texas, passing laws restricting transgender rights, particularly in the realm of gender-transition care for minors. At least 23 states have banned such care for minors, with Texas imposing strict penalties on both medical providers and insurers involved in providing these treatments.
Mr. Paxton has been actively pursuing transgender patient records in his efforts to enforce state laws, extending his reach beyond Texas borders to obtain records from facilities in other states. PFLAG has been at the forefront of challenging these attempts, with ongoing legal battles against the state’s restrictions on gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
The debate over gender-affirming treatments for minors continues to divide medical professionals, with leading organizations advocating for access to such care and opposing legislative bans. As the legal battles unfold in Texas and other states, the rights and well-being of transgender minors remain at the center of the ongoing controversy.
