A Dallas doctor, Dr. May Lau, is facing legal action from the state of Texas over allegations of unlawfully providing cross-sex hormones to transgender youths. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a lawsuit against Dr. Lau, accusing her of providing prohibited 'gender transition' hormones to over 20 adolescents in violation of a Republican-backed ban that took effect in Texas last year.
This case marks the first time a state has attempted to enforce laws that ban transgender medical procedures for minors. Under Texas law, doctors are prohibited from providing surgery, puberty blockers, or cross-sex hormones to children for the purpose of affirming their self-professed gender identity in a way that is inconsistent with their biological sex.
The lawsuit alleges that Dr. Lau, a professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and a specialist in adolescent medicine, illegally prescribed testosterone to at least 21 biological females between the ages of 14 and 17 to transition to male or affirm their gender identity. The state has requested an injunction to block Dr. Lau from prescribing testosterone and estrogen to minors for gender transition purposes.
At least 26 states have adopted laws restricting or banning transgender medical procedures for minors, with many facing legal challenges. Federal judges have ruled some bans as unconstitutional, while others are temporarily blocked pending further legal proceedings.
Republican Governor Greg Abbott signed the transgender medical procedure ban into law and has also ordered investigations into parents seeking transgender procedures for their children. The lawsuit against Dr. Lau comes amidst a broader political debate over transgender rights and medical interventions for minors.
