AUSTIN, Texas — Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Wednesday that reassignment surgery in children is considered a form of child abuse and will therefore be treated as such effective immediately.
This comes after the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Commissioner Jamie Masters responded to Abbott, who questioned whether genital mutilation of a child for purposes of gender transitioning through reassignment surgery constitutes child abuse.
Masters responded to Abbott in a letter, stating “Genital mutilation of a child through reassignment surgery is child abuse ... This surgical procedure physically alters a child’s genitalia for non-medical purposes potentially inflicting irreversible harm to children’s bodies."
Because of this determination, per a release, the following will now be enforced:
- Allegations involving genital mutilation of a child through reassignment surgery will be promptly and thoroughly investigated and any appropriate actions will be taken.
- Certain professionals who have “cause to believe” a child has been or may be abused must report that belief to DFPS within 48-hours after the professional first suspects the abuse.
- Failure to report this abuse is considered a Class A misdemeanor and punishable by up to one year in jail, a fine, or both. The intentional concealment of such abuse is a state jail felony.
