WEBVTT NOTE duration:"00:02:02.1700000" NOTE recognizability:0.898 NOTE language:en-us NOTE Confidence: 0.89968485 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.890 This week Governor Abbott directed NOTE Confidence: 0.89968485 00:00:01.890 --> 00:00:03.780 the Texas Department of Family NOTE Confidence: 0.89968485 00:00:03.840 --> 00:00:06.105 and Protective Services to start NOTE Confidence: 0.89968485 00:00:06.105 --> 00:00:07.464 investigating gender affirming NOTE Confidence: 0.89968485 00:00:07.464 --> 00:00:08.854 procedures for transgender NOTE Confidence: 0.89968485 00:00:08.854 --> 00:00:10.526 children as child abuse. NOTE Confidence: 0.89968485 00:00:10.530 --> 00:00:11.760 But now, advocacy NOTE Confidence: 0.89968485 00:00:11.760 --> 00:00:13.412 groups and local school NOTE Confidence: 0.89968485 00:00:13.412 --> 00:00:15.064 districts are pushing back. NOTE Confidence: 0.89968485 00:00:15.070 --> 00:00:18.450 Here's K views Maria Aguilera. Tuesday NOTE Confidence: 0.91633403 00:00:18.450 --> 00:00:20.130 Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton NOTE Confidence: 0.91633403 00:00:20.130 --> 00:00:21.810 released an opinion saying the NOTE Confidence: 0.91633403 00:00:21.866 --> 00:00:23.210 gender reassignment surgeries and NOTE Confidence: 0.91633403 00:00:23.210 --> 00:00:25.226 the use of drugs like puberty, NOTE Confidence: 0.91633403 00:00:25.230 --> 00:00:27.258 blockers can legally constitute child abuse. NOTE Confidence: 0.91633403 00:00:27.260 --> 00:00:29.689 DFPS told us in a statement quote NOTE Confidence: 0.91633403 00:00:29.689 --> 00:00:32.025 we will follow Texas law and that NOTE Confidence: 0.91633403 00:00:32.025 --> 00:00:34.719 if any cases come up in the future, NOTE Confidence: 0.91633403 00:00:34.720 --> 00:00:35.770 they'll investigate them. NOTE Confidence: 0.91633403 00:00:35.770 --> 00:00:37.520 But some groups are pushing NOTE Confidence: 0.91633403 00:00:37.520 --> 00:00:39.128 back our youth and their NOTE Confidence: 0.91633403 00:00:39.130 --> 00:00:41.158 families. They they feel attacked out. NOTE Confidence: 0.91633403 00:00:41.160 --> 00:00:43.864 Youth is an advocacy group based in Austin. NOTE Confidence: 0.91633403 00:00:43.870 --> 00:00:45.660 Staff members tell us transgender NOTE Confidence: 0.91633403 00:00:45.660 --> 00:00:47.092 children already don't feel NOTE Confidence: 0.91633403 00:00:47.092 --> 00:00:48.509 supported by their government. NOTE Confidence: 0.91633403 00:00:48.510 --> 00:00:50.180 And this will only make NOTE Confidence: 0.90498126 00:00:50.180 --> 00:00:52.532 things worse. Just knowing what it could NOTE Confidence: 0.90498126 00:00:52.532 --> 00:00:55.516 do for our clients and for our youth and NOTE Confidence: 0.90498126 00:00:55.520 --> 00:00:57.530 their families, it's it's truly devastating. NOTE Confidence: 0.90498126 00:00:57.530 --> 00:00:59.160 Advocates and doctors have also NOTE Confidence: 0.90498126 00:00:59.160 --> 00:01:00.464 said gender reassignment surgeries NOTE Confidence: 0.90498126 00:01:00.464 --> 00:01:01.869 are almost never performed NOTE Confidence: 0.90498126 00:01:01.870 --> 00:01:04.696 on children. Gender affirming care is. NOTE Confidence: 0.90498126 00:01:04.700 --> 00:01:07.136 Life saving and life changing for NOTE Confidence: 0.90498126 00:01:07.136 --> 00:01:09.760 the youth and their families who NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:09.760 --> 00:01:12.298 receive this care. But Jonathan Covey, NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:12.300 --> 00:01:14.862 with Texas value says this rule NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:14.862 --> 00:01:16.940 will hopefully stop parents from NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:16.940 --> 00:01:19.050 supporting these procedures for kids. NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:19.050 --> 00:01:21.522 They are elective procedures and their NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:21.522 --> 00:01:24.110 barbaric and we believe that harmful, NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:24.110 --> 00:01:25.028 irreversible procedures NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:25.028 --> 00:01:27.323 bring damage to children and NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:27.323 --> 00:01:29.598 adolescents and and they need to. NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:29.600 --> 00:01:32.550 They need to stop immediately. Texas law NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:32.550 --> 00:01:34.262 requires any professional who NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:34.262 --> 00:01:36.402 works with children to report. NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:36.410 --> 00:01:37.562 Abuse or neglect. NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:37.562 --> 00:01:39.482 Austin ISD released a statement NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:39.482 --> 00:01:40.950 supporting trans kits today, NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:40.950 --> 00:01:43.092 saying quote child abuse is too NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:43.092 --> 00:01:45.380 important to be used to score NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:45.380 --> 00:01:47.750 political points and quote in Austin, NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:47.750 --> 00:01:48.884 I'm Maria Aguilera. NOTE Confidence: 0.886296 00:01:48.884 --> 00:01:49.640 Maria, thanks NOTE Confidence: 0.8686856 00:01:49.640 --> 00:01:51.908 the National Association of Social Workers, NOTE Confidence: 0.8686856 00:01:51.910 --> 00:01:53.675 also issued a statement today NOTE Confidence: 0.8686856 00:01:53.675 --> 00:01:55.920 saying quote this is a non NOTE Confidence: 0.8686856 00:01:55.920 --> 00:01:57.955 binding legal opinion and quote. NOTE Confidence: 0.8686856 00:01:57.960 --> 00:02:00.445 So they say the rules for reporting NOTE Confidence: 0.8686856 00:02:00.445 --> 00:02:02.170 child abuse aren't changing.