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Did Greg Abbott Order an Agency to ‘Investigate All Trans Children’?
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The Dispatch Fact Check

Did Greg Abbott Order an Agency to ‘Investigate All Trans Children’?

No.

Alec Dent
Feb 28
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(Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images.)

A viral post from popular left-wing Facebook page The Other 98% claims that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered “Family and Protective Services to begin investigating all trans children in Texas and prosecuting their parents as abusers.” The post also claims that the Texas government now requires teachers, doctors, and caregivers to report trans children to the government.

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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton determined that putting a child through sex change operations or puberty-blocking drugs constitutes child abuse. Paxton’s rationale was that such procedures can sterilize those who go through them, infringing on their future ability to enjoy “the fundamental right to procreation.” Paxton further noted children are not legally allowed to be sterilized, with Medicaid establishing 21 as the minimum age for such a procedure. Even with parental consent, such a procedure cannot be done to someone younger. 

Paxton also wrote that somewhere between 61 percent and 98 percent of children who question their gender return to their biological sex for their gender identity. Given the irreversibility of the procedure, Paxton determined that putting a child through a procedure they were likely to regret was harmful not just for biological reasons but for emotional ones as well. There is some debate over the percentage of trans children who detransition, with follow-up studies finding numbers in line with what Paxton claims but critics saying that these studies include participants who don’t actually meet the criteria of gender dysphoria. 

Citing Paxton’s opinion, Abbott instructed the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services “to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation of any reported instances of these abusive procedures in the State of Texas.”

Contrary to what the Other 98% claimed, Abbott did not instruct Family and Protective Services to “begin investigating all trans children;” his letter states the agency must now investigate instances where children have gender reassignment procedures performed.  

Likewise, Abbott did not instruct teachers and doctors to “begin reporting any trans students they see.” Abbott’s letter on the matter notes that, per Texas laws on child abuse, since reassignment surgeries and puberty blockers will now be considered abuse, any licensed professional who has contact with a child who has undergone such a procedure must report it or face criminal penalties. Abbott cites “doctors, nurses, and teachers,” as examples, and says that there are similar reporting requirements for members of the general public as well. 

If you have a claim you would like to see us fact check, please send us an email at factcheck@thedispatch.com. If you would like to suggest a correction to this piece or any other Dispatch article, please email corrections@thedispatch.com.

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Logical
Mar 1·edited Mar 1

The comnents on this topic don't address the real issue. Abbott and Paxton are horrible humans who prey on the most vulnerable of all. Trans kids. They get away with it because typical voters are mean about people that are "different". Many politicians in the GOP made hay out of homosexuals for a long time but the returns are diminishing. So they move to the next target, because scum does what scum does.

There are ~100,000 genes in human DNA. We don't yet have sufficient systems knowledge to discern the complex interactions. This is not unique to humans. The animal kingdom has similar phenomenon.

A few % get mixed up...statistically it makes sense. The nurture bit is nonsense.

I know a few trans kids. They are gentle, confused, vulnerable, even suicidal.

Love them you aholes. Don't prey on them for votes.

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GregS
Mar 1

Isn't this fact check burying the lede a bit?

First let me stipulate that the viral post is false - Abbott is not ordering *all* trans children to be investigated.

He *is* ordering his agencies to investigate - for child abuse - parents of any trans children who undergo any type of gender confirmation treatment (hormonal or surgical), and healthcare providers involved in such care.

That does seem like a b.f.d. to this healthcare provider.

Gender confirmation treatments are currently considered mainstream and widely accepted healthcare treatments in the US. For a government agent to unilaterally declare them to be child abuse, absent anything remotely close to consensus against - or even widespread disagreement with - these treatments among healthcare experts is bonkers.

What's next? COVID vaccines for kids are child abuse?

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