Texas has declared war on hormone treatments given to transgender children and adolescents.

In a letter dated February 22, the Republican governor of this American state ordered his administration to “carry out a prompt and thorough investigation into any reported cases” of such treatment practiced on minors in the context of gender transitions.

Greg Abbott also recalled that criminal sanctions were planned against teachers, doctors or nurses who did not denounce these treatments.

On March 4, the largest pediatric hospital in the country, located in Houston, declared a “pause” in these treatments to “protect healthcare professionals and families from possible criminal prosecution”.

The lives of children at the heart of the debate

Texas Child Protective Services has launched several investigations against parents of transgender children.

An Austin-based judge decided on Friday to suspend them, ruling the directive unconstitutional.

Several local prosecutors had already indicated that they would not comply with the governor's orders, considering them illegal.

President Biden said Texas' "discriminatory actions" "put children's lives at risk."

“Children, their parents and their doctors should have the freedom to make the best medical decisions for these young people without politicians getting in the way,” he said.

A political battle above all?

Several pieces of legislation aimed at equating hormonal treatments with abuse and depriving the doctors who prescribe them of insurance have been debated in the Texas Parliament.

Hormonal treatments, the prohibition of which is debated, are only administered during adolescence.

Prescribed and supervised by doctors, they are intended to block puberty.

For Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, “there is insufficient medical evidence to demonstrate that stopping these treatments allows a normal resumption of puberty”.

He believes that they can create a "mental or emotional wound" constituting abuse.

According to the mother of an 8-year-old transgender girl, “these puberty blockers give the child more time” to decide on her gender identity.

The elected officials “want Texas to remain Republican.

But Texas is slowly changing.

"It is only for political reasons that transgender children are targeted," said a Democratic elected official from Washington.

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