Five district attorneys representing some of the most populous counties in the state have written to Republican Texas Governor Gregg Abbott educating him that his recently enacted ban on treatment for transgender children is “un-American” and an assault on Americans’ freedoms, ABC News reports.
Earlier this week, Abbott signed a sweeping executive order barring any gender-affirming medical procedures for transgender children under the age of 18 and calling for any parent or medical professional providing such treatment to be charged with child abuse. The letter was signed by John Creuzot of Dallas County, José Garza of Travis County, Joe Gonzales of Bexar County, Mark Gonzalez of Nueces County; and Brian Middleton of Fort Bend County.
“We are deeply disturbed by Governor Abbott and Attorney General Paxton’s cruel directives treating transgender children’s access to life-saving, gender-affirming care as ‘child abuse,'” the letter read, continuing “This is part of a continued onslaught on personal freedoms. Elected officials should be protecting our most vulnerable. These two, instead, want to irrationally target and restrain children seeking medical assistance — and force caregivers to participate.”