And speaking of “nothing better to do than demonize and torment innocents in the name of power”:
BREAKING: The ACLU has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a Texas parent who was placed on leave last week from her job at DFPS—because she has a transgender child.
The plaintiff's own employer sent investigators to her home in response to Abbott's order. https://t.co/pYq43UHneC
— Mary Emily O'Hara (@MaryEmilyOHara) March 1, 2022
As a non-legal reader, I should not say much on the petition itself. I do recommend reading it, length and all — that said, the crux of the issue is, per that document:
[…]on the afternoon of February 24, 2022, Plaintiff Jane Doe was informed that her family would be investigated in accordance with Governor Abbott’s letter to determine if Jane Doe and John Doe had committed abuse by affirming their transgender daughter’s identity and obtaining the medically necessary health care that she needs.[Edits and emphasis mine — MisterDancer]On February 25, 2022, a DFPS Child Protective Services (CPS) investigator visited the Doe family’s home to interview Jane Doe, John Doe, and Mary Doe.[…]the CPS investigator sought access through releases to Mary Doe’s medical records, which the Doe Plaintiffs refused to sign.
The CPS investigator disclosed that the sole allegation against Jane Doe and John Doe is that they have a transgender daughter and that their daughter may have been provided with medically necessary gender-affirming health care and is “currently transitioning from male to female.”
The issuance of the Paxton Opinion and the Abbott Letter, along with DFPS’s implementation of these, has terrorized the Doe family and inflicted ongoing and irreparable harm.
As a result of DFPS’s implementation and the subsequent investigation of the Doe family, Jane Doe has been placed on leave from her employment.
I will also note this line:
Mary Doe is transgender. When she was born, she was designated as “male” on her birth certificate, but she is a girl.
And that’s all that should matter.
Additional reading, especially if you lack time for the petition proper:
MisterDancer
Unfortunately, I have to be away for a bit from the ‘net. I really have been trying to get something on this out for a while, and this filing made it even more critical and timely.
Thanks for reading, and thinking thru the issues at hand. As someone who comes from another group long-abused by this ilk, it hurts to see them spread their poison to people who’ve done no one, any damn harm!
Humdog
It seems Rs in many states believe they can push millions of people back into closets. I don’t think it will work but it will make many many people miserable and afraid. Sickening
Baud
There will be martyrs until people decide they’ve had enough.
eclare
As always, good for ACLU. In TX merely existing is a crime.
debbie
As with abortion, citizens can turn “offenders” in. It doesn’t get more monstrous than that. Unless there’s a financial reward I haven’t heard about.
RaflW
Thank you for front paging this. I do worry that in all the Ukraine news (which I very actively engage, too) that we also have to keep pushing back on the awful behaviors, rulings, legislation and so on.
It’s kind of grueling. But attacking trans people is just the next step, and totally unacceptable.
RaflW
@Humdog: I look at my high school age niece, in a relatively conservative school district in exurban Wisconsin, and see how easily she negotiates classmates who are gay, or have other than boy/girl pronouns, and I know the current fight on the right is a desperate, last ditch effort.
I think Republicans will fail. We have to work to make sure.
phdesmond
Gov. Abbott is a repugnant human being.
eclare
@RaflW: I kind of wonder if assholes won’t do this on purpose. Democrats are distracted….
Fuck you. I am walking, where is my gum?
Old Man Shadow
They want a government that will leave them alone, but be utterly totalitarian, cruel, and Kafkaesque on those they deem to be inferior.
UncleEbeneezer
@RaflW: Agreed that in the long term, this shit isn’t gonna fly. The problem of course is all the horrific damage it can still do in the short term.
scav
One isn’t free in Texas to raise one’s own children as one sees fit. Oh, unless of course it involves giving them guns, or not reading school books you don’t approve of, or not wearing masks or having life-protecting vaccines, or not being exposed to other than heterosexual partnerships, or refusing blood transfusions on religious grounds, etc etc etc, all of those things are freedom. Just not listening to one’s child about their emotions and identity. That’s abuse. Got it.
Dan B
@phdesmond: AG Paxton issued the legal brief that called hormone therapy and other procedures to be abuse. Abbott just shepherded the bill through.
Mallard Filmore
Eventually, the pro-life crowd will demand that babies born with ambiguous genetalia be immediately taken to bhe hospital’s basement furnace and send those littrle devils straight back to hell.
They already are fully on board with the Second “go forth and kill” Amendment.
Alison Rose
The party of “family values” that literally wants to criminalize loving and supporting your children if those children are not deemed acceptable by the party. It’s so damn disgusting. I’m so afraid for what this could mean for these kids, and what kind of God awful homes they’d be forced into if they’re taken from their families.
Gretchen
@debbie: yes, this mom was turned in by a neighbor who was chortling over turning her in. It sounded like he wanted to use her kid to get back at her for a personal beef. Despicable.
i learned today that the majority of kids taking puberty blockers take them because they are going through puberty too young. So all those kids will get swept up in the efforts of busybodies snooping into their medical problems too. People who push this stuff never think it might affect them also.
Another Scott
From the ACLU filing:
That’s the crux of it, IMHO (IANAL). The Governor is not a king and does not write the law.
Cheers,
Scott.
Mike in NC
Abbott and DeSantis should send their resumes to Putin.
Dan B
The other outcome will be the label Child Abuser on the parent(s) record. It will be more difficult for them to find work with that on their record.
Cruelty is the added benefit.
Mowgli
As the proud parent of a trans kid that absolutely excelled once he got on testosterone in his teens, I get murderous thoughts when I see this insanity. My kid’s bravery in facing other kids in Georgia every day as out and proud reduces me to tears. These people are absolutely repugnant and evil. More descriptive words fail me.
debbie
@Mike in NC:
They should deliver them in person. ?
Mallard Filmore
O/T I just watch a YouTube video that says China sold submarines to Thailand …
… without the engine.
The problem is that the engine comes from Germany, and Germany will not deliver it to China because China will sell it on to another country.
Peale
@Mallard Filmore: the king of Thailand basically owns a town in Germany. It’s where he prefers to be. So I’m sure he knows the right people.
Omnes Omnibus
@Peale: Who among doesn’t own a town in Germany?
Baud
@Peale:
The world is such a weird place.
Baud
@Omnes Omnibus:
Ever been to Baudberg?
japa21
@Omnes Omnibus:
I thought Omniburg belonged to you.
Baud
@Mowgli:
If I’m on your jury, I will vote to aquit.
Dan B
@Mike in NC: Putin and some Russian oligarchs have connections to anti- LGBTQ groups in America and Europe. These are far right notables like Marine Le Pen and Antonio Salvini. Abbott and Death Santa would fit right in, and probably already know several of the right wingers
They don’t just stick to authoritarian and nationalist causes. They’re on board with the full gamut of racism, anti-abortion, and anti-LGBTQ.
Omnes Omnibus
@Baud: Only place in Germany where the lederhosen are chaps?
Bill Arnold
@Mike in NC:
Sorry, no. They are both happy with their current employer, Satan, and with their assigned work.
mrmoshpotato
@Baud:
I’m trying to forget about that hellhole.
columbusqueen
The malicious neighbor deserves to have his balls chopped off. I’ll volunteer.
Omnes Omnibus
@Bill Arnold: Maybe too far even for him….
Immanentize
I am so sorry I can’t hang around right now. This is a great discussion.
But think! This is a dry run of the post-Roe effort. There will be miscarriage police and prosecutions.
Do not doubt this leads to that.
Love you all, Bye!
Rusty
Roe is the headline, but the reactionaries on the Supreme Court want to turn back Griswold also. It’s about birth control, but it set the precedent for a right to privacy, particularly around issues of sex. If they overturn Griswold, which I think they will do, then there is no right to privacy and the state can regulate sex including gender. This what conservative want, to regulate everyone’s sex life and gender. It’s all sickening.
UncleEbeneezer
@Mowgli: So sorry you both have to deal with this bullshit. Your son’s courage is very inspiring. Virtual hugs to you both.
OzarkHillbilly
Obviously, you haven’t been to Texas lately.
Baud
@Omnes Omnibus:
I like to say it’s the first place in Germany where that’s true.
Lyrebird
You’re darn tootin! THANK YOU for posting this, I think I need to go give some munny to the ACLU.
GRRRRR
And go MazeDancer, best of luck with your other projects!
Lyrebird
@Mowgli:
Me too, even just hearing you talk about his courage!
Go Mowglison!
Martin
Transgender individuals are welcome here in California. Sorry it’s so expensive, but my kids have had multiple transgender friends since they were about 7. So, 15 years? Pretty normal. Kids don’t even remark if their friend is transgender, they are just who they are.
Related to Texas’ culture war self-immolation, Dan Patrick has proposed ending tenure for public university faculty so that he can fire them for teaching ‘critical race theory’. Sorry UT Austin, you were a good university. Your faculty are about to be mercilessly poached by the UC system. We made bank when Walker went after UWisc.
SiubhanDuinne
This is just stomach-churning horrible.
Dan B
@Martin: We have a couple friends, gay couple, who moved from Seattle to Austin about six years ago. I’m not sure how they’re feeling about Texas now. My year in the Jim Crow south was more than enough to convince me I have zero interest in being in the most liberal cities in the south.
Jager
@mrmoshpotato:
The beer was flat and so were the barmaids.
Bodacious
W! T! F!
Man, this is just beyond abhorrent. I feel sick.
Immanentize
@Baud: this, my friend, is the greatest short story ever written about lederhosen. or perhaps ever will be. I wept the first time I read it (Japanese author):
Lederhosen
I hope this link works because it is beautiful beyond words. Or: Lederhosen by MURAKAMI Haruki.
Sister Golden Bear
Being trans isn’t a crime — but not for lacking of Republicans trying to make it one
In addition to Texas, Republicans have been pushing at least 180 anti-trans bills since the beginning of the year alone. They truly want to eradicate us — a term I don’t use lightly — from public life, if not literally.
And I doubt they’ll stop at just persecuting parents. I’m honestly surprised they haven’t yet passed an abortion-bounty style law against healthcare providers, teachers who refer to students by their proper gender, etc. Likewise, employers who don’t discriminate against trans employers and customers.
Schmendrick
Last Thursday Watergirl posted a righteous rant written by John Pavlovitz link here, called When Americans Support Murderous Foreign Dictators. It was so eloquent, I went to his website and read several other essays which also resonated strongly with me. So I did something unusual — I pulled out my credit card and ordered a signed copy of one of his books, called “Stuff That Needs to be Said”. It arrived a few hours ago. Consider this my review — and as I think you will see, it is on topic for this thread.
The book is a compendium of about 50 brief essays grouped in three sections by general topic. The topics are “Stuff That Needs to Be Said About …”
I opened the book and started with the first essay and couldn’t stop reading. I can’t remember ever being so profoundly moved by an author. By the time I finished I had decided to order more copies to share with my family.
The first section mostly addressed the intolerance of much of the American so-called Christian Church towards the LGBTQ community in a way that rang true with al of the lessons I learned in Sunday school so many years ago.
Here is a quote from a post from last Friday
https://johnpavlovitz.com/2022/02/25/lgbtq-friends-i-see-you/
Citizen Alan
I don’t consider Republicans to be fully human. I honestly don’t think they have souls. I literally cannot conceive of that level of hate. It’s demonic.
Benw
Absolutely disgusting. Especially horrendous because of the transparently cynical switch to terrorizing trans/non-binary people once gay folks didn’t make good targets anymore.
burnspbesq
I’ve been a member of the ACLU since high school. Always money well spent.
C Stars
Yeah, thanks for front-paging this. Another parent of a trans kid here. Just heard a radio segment on this. Apparently CPS can be sent to your house (& the implication is potentially remove your child) based on reports from neighbors etc. Pure evil.
Brachiator
I know that people need jobs, and cannot always easily quit, but I find it sad and alarming that the social workers could participate in this vile “investigation” because of this immoral new law.
Elizabelle
May we have a thread for the SOTU?
MC
I’m transgender. Thank you for writing this post.
burnspbesq
@Sister Golden Bear:
They tried but failed in the last regular session of the Legislature. They’ll try again next year.
FelonyGovt
@Martin: For sure. A trans friend moved from California to Arizona. He was and is SHOCKED about the poor health care he is receiving in Arizona- refusing to perform a hysterectomy, refusing to call him his correct name, etc.. and he is having to travel back to California for his care.
Harrym
The Munchausen Moms sure are mad about this.
The Pale Scot
@Citizen Alan:
If you feel pain, you’re alive.
If you feel other’s pain, you’re human
Tolstoy?
Central Planning
I have a 20-something trans daughter and this shit enrages me. I can’t for the life of me figure out why people get off on being cruel to others, or why they even care what label someone got at birth.
And ultimately, what does the label of male or female really do besides cause hate and discrimination?
Sister Golden Bear
@burnspbesq: oh I’m well aware. I’m just surprised they weren’t able to pass it.
It should be noted that Abbot unilaterally ordered this precisely because they couldn’t pass the law.
lowtechcyclist
@phdesmond:
As is anyone who votes for him.
As Adam Serwer says, the cruelty is the point. This is hurting people just to hurt them. Because he can, and because his supporters think it’s great.
Mousebumples
@Gretchen: I’m not sure on “the majority” (eg, I don’t know who would tally those numbers), but the FDA approval for many of those drugs, in the pediatric population, is related to Central Precocious Puberty – or early puberty onset (eg under 10 years old).
It is well supported, clinically, that these same treatments can also hold off puberty for those with gender identity issues. Whether that’s because a transition is planned or because the child (and family) are determining next steps, I’ll defer to the endocrinology/etc., specialists.
But forcing a child who feels that they are not the gender assigned at birth to go through puberty feels like actual child abuse to me. ?
Ksmiami
@lowtechcyclist: and Omnes got mad at me because I basically have come to the conclusion that we can’t share a country with these vile ppl. It’s us or them.