Ken Paxton sues Dallas doctor for treating transgender teens

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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against a Dallas pediatrician, accusing her of violating state law by providing gender transition treatments to at least 21 adolescent patients.

Thursday’s filing is Paxton’s first attempt to sue a doctor by taking advantage of Senate Bill 14, 2023 legislation that prohibits doctors and health care providers from prescribing hormones to minors to make evolve their biological sex.

The lawsuit accuses May Lau, an adolescent doctor and associate professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, of violating Senate Bill 14 by prescribing testosterone to at least 21 patients ages 14 to 17 years to change their biological sex or affirm their gender identity.

“Texas passed legislation to protect children from these dangerous, unscientific medical interventions that have irreversible and damaging effects,” Paxton said in a news release. “Doctors who continue to provide these harmful “gender transition” medications and treatments will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. »

Calling her a “mocker” and a “radical gender activist,” Paxton also accused Lau of “falsifying medical records, prescriptions and billing records” by inserting a puberty-blocking device into a 15-year-old and by billing the patient’s insurance for an endocrine disorder instead of the patient’s gender dysphoria. Paxton claims Lau used a diagnostic billing code from fake billing code information sheets provided by the Campaign for Southern Equality, an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, claiming Lau was trying to hide that she was providing care in violation of state law.

Lau specializes in the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents, women and men, including gender dysphoria, and has worked at UT Southwestern since 2008, according to the medical center’s website. Lau and UT Southwestern did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

SB 14, which the Texas Supreme Court upheld in June, directs the Texas Medical Board to revoke the license or other authorization to practice medicine of a doctor who violates the law. Additionally, Paxton is seeking $1 million, which includes civil penalties and other fees.

“We are grateful for the leadership of the Texas Attorney General in protecting children from these harmful treatments and procedures,” Jonathan Covey, policy director of Texas Values, said in a press release. “No one is above the law, and it is horrible to harm young children in order to promote radical gender ideology and play political games. »

Andrea Segovia, policy director of the Transgender Education Network of Texas, said Thursday’s lawsuit signals to providers that they could be sued for providing treatment to transgender youth. She said some doctors have already stopped providing gender-affirming care because of SB 14’s chilling effect.

“It’s another drop in the haystack,” Segovia said. “It adds up to this ultimate goal of not providing the care that people want in their state.” »

For mental health support for LGBTQ youth, call The Trevor Project’s toll-free 24/7 helpline at 866-488-7386. For trans peer support, call Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860. You can also contact a trained crisis counselor through Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.