Lawsuit seeks to block Texas from investigating gender-transitioning procedures as child abuse

The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and Lambda Legal filed a lawsuit against Texas Governor Greg Abbott after he signed an order directing the state's Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate gender-transitioning procedures as child abuse. The lawsuit argues the order violates the constitutional rights of transgender children and their families. 

The lawsuit, which also names the DFPS and its commissioner as defendants, was filed on behalf of a family with a transgender child. The child, referred to in the complaint as Mary Doe, identifies as a transgender girl and has been treated for gender dysphoria by a licensed child specialist. 

The suit says that on February 25, one day after Abbott's order went into effect, a Child Protective Services officer visited the family and said they were under investigation. The officer also allegedly requested access to Mary's medical records, which Jane and her husband declined to give them.