The New York Times is reporting that inquiries to Children’s Health in Dallas began with legislators questioning the life-saving work of the clinic. Then inquiries came from the governor’s office.
Within a week, hospital executives closed the clinic and took down its website before telling Genecis staff or patients.
Genecis treats transgender youth. No surgery is done. After counseling, completely reversible hormone blockers were prescribed to some of the teens treated.
The clinic saw about 500 patients last year.
Closing the clinic was the first major attack in Abbott’s war on parents of trans youth who sought treatment for their children. He has since instructed Child Protective Services to investigate families treating their trans children as child abuse.
After Lambda Legal and other organizations sued, a temporary restraining order was issued. Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton appealed the TRO, but his appeal was denied.
Executives at Children’s told the Times that executives at UT Southwestern were considering closing the innovative clinic for months because of outreach from Abbott’s office.
A spokeswoman for Abbott emailed the newspaper to deny any involvement in any decision on the clinic.
Although the clinic was run at Children’s Health, Genecis was a program of UT Southwestern.
— David Taffet