Texas Children's Hospital Opens First 'Detransition Clinic'

Texas Children's Hospital (TCH) in Houston, Texas will open a "Detransition Clinic" as part of its settlement in a lawsuit over its staff providing gender-related medical treatments to minors. 

The Details: In addition to opening a "Detransition Clinic" to provide services to minors who previously received gender-related treatments, TCH will fund the clinic so that treatments are free for the first five years, pay $10 million in damages and civil penalties, fire five doctors who provided gender treatments to minors, stop providing gender transition services, and amend its bylaws to relinquish privileges for any doctor who violates the state's ban on gender treatments for minors. 

Criticism of TCH: The Texan (Lean Right bias) noted that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said, "Today is a monumental day in the fight to stop the radical transgender movement. This historic settlement reflects an institutional and fundamental cultural shift away from radical 'gender' ideology…this settlement will ensure that the deranged child mutilators who hurt our kids are fired and held accountable." The Texan also described gender treatments as "sex-rejecting" treatments and quoted Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche, who said, "Today's resolution protects vulnerable children, holds providers accountable, and ensures those harmed receive the care they need."

Response from TCH: The hospital said the lawsuit was "wrought with falsehoods and distractions" and that it made the decision to settle the case "to protect our resources from endless and costly litigation. This settlement will allow us to redirect those precious resources to focus on the life-saving care and groundbreaking discoveries of our exceptional clinicians and scientists." 

Implications for Trans Youth: MS Now (Left) published an opinion that said, "Texas is arguably the most frightening place in the country for families of transgender children." The opinion cited a study from Princeton showing that only 4% of adolescents in the study that underwent gender transition treatments experienced regret, and half of those responders continued their treatments, "suggesting the benefits outweighed the things they regretted." The article also argued that "detransitioning" is often not a personal decision by one that is "forced upon people by the law." Stat (Center) noted that "the state has already made it illegal for trans kids to receive life-saving gender-affirming care," and that "it's questionable whether there is even strong demand" for a "detransition clinic," as trans people make up only 1% of the population.

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