TOO MUCH TO BEAR

Trans Child Attempted Suicide Over Greg Abbott’s ‘Child Abuse’ Directive, Suit Alleges

When his parents took him to a hospital, the staff reported them to child protective services, a new lawsuit alleges.

A new lawsuit alleges a transgender child attempted suicide the same day Gov. Greg Abbott announced he’d directed child protection services to open child abuse probes into parents who allow children under 18 to receive gender-affirming care. The child’s family, one of three families to file a new lawsuit against Texas on Wednesday, alleged that their son “said that the political environment, including Abbott’s Letter, and being misgendered at school, led him to take these actions.” He was taken to a hospital but the psychiatric staff reported his mother to child protection services, who later visited the family and told the mother she was an “alleged perpetrator” of abuse, the suit says. Since Abbott’s February directive, the Department of Family and Protective Services have opened at least nine investigations into families of trans children seeking gender-affirming medical care.

If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741