We must stand up for trans kids

"Next time, ask: What's the worst that will happen? Then push yourself a little further than you dare. Once you start to speak, people will yell at you. They will interrupt you, put you down and suggest it's personal. And the world won't end."

-Audre Lorde

Audre Lorde speaks truth to power when she reminds us that when you speak your truth on behalf of others, you may be ignored and put down, yet you should still speak.

In that spirit, Children's Minnesota stands against the damaging and callous policy of the state of Texas, where the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) has been directed to conduct "prompt and thorough" investigations into the families of trans- and gender-expansive children who've received gender-affirming care, asserting that the care can "legally constitute child abuse."

This directive essentially makes it a crime to love, care for, support and lovingly raise a transgender child. It also accuses parents who do so of child abuse. This directive is draconian in measure and will harm children.

Transgender patients and families currently suffer some of the most significant inequities in health care. Access to quality health care and access to health care where they are not made to feel less than who they are, or excluded, is often not available. It is unavailable because many years of continued discrimination have been allowed to occur, and the rights and health needs of LGBTQ people have continued to be ignored. This must stop.

The Texas directive attempts to take this further and accuse parents who want to affirm their child's identity as abusers. The physical, psychological and mental health damage this will cause families is unprecedented, and we at Children's Minnesota must speak out to prevent this.

Since 2019, Children's Minnesota has been one of the few hospitals in the country that operates a gender health program designed to serve the health needs of transgender and gender-diverse kids and families who struggle to find adequate and inclusive health care. We work with families to get excellent health care, address our patients' social and emotional needs, and use care navigators to help our families find much-needed support and resources.

We strive to partner with all families in raising healthier children and speak out when these families are being persecuted through hateful and discriminatory policies, as in the case of this recent Texas directive.

We at Children's Minnesota implore all of our health care colleagues to stand against these measures by writing to the governor of Texas and the Department of Family and Protective Services asking for the immediate end of this draconian and hurtful practice. We want to thank Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and others for speaking out in support of trans children. We hope that other peers of the Texas governor will publicly oppose this directive.

We need to reassure Minnesota transgender and gender-diverse families that this approach will not be supported in Minnesota.

Lastly, now is the time for action! We must all publicly embrace our LGBTQ families and show them a sense of belonging that assures them that we will never sit idly by while they are being mistreated.

Marc Gorelick is president and CEO of Children's Minnesota.