Judge temporarily blocks state’s ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth

A Texas judge on Friday temporarily blocked a state law that would ban transgender minors from accessing transition-related medical care.

The law, passed by the Texas Legislature earlier this year, was set to go into effect next month, but Travis County District Court Judge Maria Cantú Hexsel wrote in her ruling the law likely violates the Texas Constitution because it infringes on a parent’s right to make decisions about their child’s custody, care and control.

“This fundamental right includes the rights of parents to give, withhold and withdraw consent to medical treatment for their children,” she wrote. “This fundamental right also includes the right to seek and to follow medial advice to protect the health and well being of their minor children.”

The law should be temporarily halted, she added, otherwise the plaintiffs will suffer “probable, imminent and irreparable” harm.

Cantú Hexsel’s decision comes a week after a group of family members of transgender youth and LGBTQ organizations testified in court, asking for an injunction that would prevent the law, Senate bill 14, from going into effect on Sept. 1.