Report - TX governor's order to investigate the parents of transgender kids could put state agency 'on brink of collapse'

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's order to investigate the parents of trans kids is wrecking the state's child protection agency.

From the Dallas Morning News:

Continuing to investigate the parents of transgender youth could put Texas’ child protection agency over the brink of collapse, a group of its staffers said in a new court filing. In an Aug. 25 brief filed with the Austin appeals court, 16 current and former employees at the Department of Family and Protective Services said there has been an exodus from the agency that could hamper its ability to perform basic and necessary functions. They urged the court to keep the abuse investigations on hold while the policy continues to be litigated.

“As career DFPS employees,” they wrote to “respectfully advise the Court that DFPS is on the brink of collapse, and that the politically motivated decision to compel DFPS employees like themselves to investigate nonabusive loving and supportive families who merely rely in good faith on their doctor’s advice would put DFPS over that brink.” 

 They noted that age appropriate and individualized gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, are supported by the state and nation’s largest medical organizations. These treatments are meant to help treat gender dysphoria, the feeling of discomfort or distress that can occur for those who identify as a gender different from the gender or sex assigned at birth.

 “The great mass of DFPS employees did not choose the child welfare profession to break up loving families who, with no ill motive, malice, or negligence toward their child, are simply following medical advice and administering medicine under a doctor’s supervision,” they added. 

 The staff warnings underscores the chaos that the controversial policy change has created. It was filed less than two weeks after The Dallas Morning News first wrote that internal documents revealed confusion and secrecy marked the decision’s rollout in February. More than 2,000 employees have left the agency this year, The Houston Chronicle reported this month.

Abbott's order to investigate the parents of trans kids was considered a touchstone in this so-called culture war about trans issues. Now that it all seems to be falling apart for him, where is all of the attention? This article is infuriating on so many levels, but one of the main issues why is that very few people in the media seem to be paying attention.

It says lot about they think about LGBTQ people and our issues.

'VA school board adopts anti-LGBTQ hate group's policy for trans students' & other Wed midday news briefs

Virginia school board votes 5-2 to adopt hate group ADF’s policy​ - The Alliance Defending Freedom again. They got their hateful hands in everything.

California may act as U.S. refuge for transgender youth​ - It's terrible that we have to even talk about refuges for our kids, but still I support the idea. 

Yeshiva University petitions Supreme Court in bid to prohibit official LGBTQ club - If you get tax dollars, then forget it. Although I think our SCOTUS may be more inclined to disagree seeing that it is religiously biased. 

How Tobacco Companies Harm the LGBTQ+ Community - Needs to be told. 

Virginia Court Blocks Republican Attempt To Criminalize LGBTQ Books - Nice try but you failed.

LGBTQ teachers open up as their schools -- and identities -- become next front in the culture war - It's on. Stay strong.

Libs of TikTok still threatening to lie about children's hospitals even after Twitter suspension

Some folks are determined to figuratively walk into a volcano.

From Media Matters:

Libs of TikTok’s Chaya Raichik pledged to redouble her attacks on hospitals providing trans people with health care, she wrote in a rant on her Substack in which she called gender-affirming care “mutilating the body.” Raichik’s recent efforts against Boston Children’s Hospital, Children’s National Hospital in D.C., and others have led to violent threats against health care providers and at least one request for help from law enforcement. Libs of TikTok has fallen silent on Twitter for the first time in weeks as a result of a suspension for violation of the platform’s rules against hateful conduct. 

 The Washington Post’s Taylor Lorenz reported on Sunday that Libs of Tik Tok had earned a seven-day suspension. A Twitter spokesperson confirmed the suspension in a statement to Media Matters, saying that “we took enforcement action against the account … for violating our hateful conduct policy. The account was placed in read-only mode for seven days.” 

 Libs of TikTok has reportedly been suspended multiple times on multiple platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Raichik’s last Twitter suspension came for accusing LGBTQ people of “grooming” children, which Twitter confirmed violates its policies against hateful conduct after pressure from Media Matters and others. 

 . . . The suspension comes after Libs of TikTok targeted Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., leading to online suggestions about bombing the hospital and putting its employees in a woodchipper. The account has targeted multiple other hospitals providing gender-affirming care, resulting in threats to patients and providers and forcing at least one hospital to request support from law enforcement. 

 . . . In a screed posted to her Substack after the suspension, Raichik alleged a diabolic plot by medical providers, writing that “a false belief in the mind is not treated by mutilating the body. Any doctor performing these surgeries should have their license revoked. They belong in prison.”

Again, let me remind people that Raichik is LYING when she claims that children's hospitals are mutilating trans children. She has been exposed several times for deliberately taking footage and clips out of context. 

If Libs of TikTok and Raichik want a degree from the University of FAFO (F@k Around and Find Out), I sincerely HOPE that Twitter stands ready to make them summa cum laude.

'MI GOP nominates Satan-obsessed homophobe for Secretary of State' & other Tue midday news briefs

Kristina  Karamo 

MI GOP nominates Satan-obsessed homophobe for Secretary of State​ - Oh mercy! Why?! 

Now rightwing Christians don’t want girls to play sports at all - Should this surprise anyone? 

Billy Eichner calls out “homophobe” Clarence Thomas in fiery, full-volume VMAs speech - Well, did he lie? 

What LGBTQ+ Families Should Know For Back-to-School Time - Write it down.

Libs of Tik Tok suspended from Twitter for seven days after continuing to spread lies about trans kids receiving hysterectomies

It was bound to happen, but it should be longer than seven days.

Libs of TikTok is locked out of twitter for a FULL WEEK after they led a massive hate campaign resulting in shutting down websites of Children's Hospitals, threatening the patients in the process.

All over trans people.

Lets keep the pressure up. @Shopify! Drop Libs of TikTok! pic.twitter.com/6tS180cktI

— Erin Reed (@ErinInTheMorn) August 29, 2022

Libs of Tik Tok has been targeting children's hospitals around the nation, claiming that they are performing hysterectomies (the removal of the uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes, and sometimes ovaries) on trans kids. In spite of the fact that this claim has continuously been refuted, the site and its founder, Chaya Raichik, continues to spread it.

And her followers have been threatening these hospitals with violence. According to The Daily Dot, an incident with the Children's National Hospital in DC may have been the final straw:

On Thursday, Aug. 25, Libs of TikTok shared audio that caused a right-wing explosion, in which she spoke to at least two employees at Children’s National Hospital and asked them if they would perform hysterectomies on children under the age of 18 to aid in transitioning.

 The call came as conservatives have led a charge against children’s hospitals for providing care to trans patients, as part of a moral panic against transgender people, one which Libs of TikTok both spearheaded and egged on. In the audio, it’s unclear who Raichik speaks to, but she goads them into saying they would conduct hysterectomies on patients under the age of 18. 

 According to the Washington Post, Children’s National Hospital didn’t dispute the accuracy of the audio but said that the employees provided inaccurate information. Conservatives have pointed back to a line on Children’s website, which said the hospital provided gender-affirming care to patients from ages “0-21.” 

 Children’s Hospital told the Post that the information on its website was also erroneously posted. But the denials from Children’s National Hospital did not satiate the right-wing crowd stirred up by the audio. It led to a flood of threats against the hospital, which has happened to a number of children’s hospitals that Libs of TikTok and other prominent conservatives posted about this month.

(Editor's note - You can listen to the audio on the Daily Dot's webpage. Raichik has long since blocked me on Twitter months ago.)

There are two things about this which bothers me. 1. Gender-affirming healthcare is very complex. It isn't always about surgeries, particularly involving trans kids. 

2. Until I see more information, I have a serious problem with believing that Raichik talked to an actual worker. She has been called out in the past for deliberately misrepresenting comments or taking them out of context:

Some of the claims about Children’s National, Boston Children’s and other hospitals were pushed by the Libs of TikTok account, which regularly reposts videos and social media posts from LGBTQ people, teachers, schools and other institutions. The clips are sometimes taken out of context and framed to fuel outrage or ridicule of LGBTQ and anti-racist causes, in what the account owner has described as “exposés” of “the crazies.” For example, a short clip about gender-affirming hysterectomies from a video originally posted by Boston Children’s that Libs of TikTok reposted makes no mention of patients’ ages. But Libs of TikTok tweeted alongside the clip the false claim that the hospital offers the surgery “for young girls.”

And her defenders aren't exactly credible themselves.  Prominent conservative Seth Dillon posted the following telling people to support Raichik's 'work'.

But earlier this year, Dillon got in trouble for spreading a false story that a child tipped a half-naked drag queen.

For folks not happy at the short suspension, stay tuned. Raichik remains defiant and is threatening to target more hospitals. A permanent ban could be imminent.

BREAKING: In a rant posted to her Substack, Chaya Raichik responds to Twitter suspending her account Libs of TikTok by alleging a sinister conspiracy in gender affirming healthcare, promises to redouble her dangerous harassment campaign against hospitals if unbanned. pic.twitter.com/rbucHFklxY

— Ari Drennen (@AriDrennen) August 29, 2022

Meanwhile Shopify is still allowing Raichik to sell merchandise off of her brand of smearing LGBTQ Americans. Here is what you can do to stop it

Everyone go here and report LoTT to Shopify's customer service. Select "does not comply with TOS"

When you do, note that they use "Groomer" as a coupon, target LGBTQ+ people, and are currently leading a harassment campaign on Boston Children's Hospital, and mention the lockout. pic.twitter.com/EJA4ksfVpn

— Erin Reed (@ErinInTheMorn) August 28, 2022

Huge hat tip to Ari Drennen, Erin Reed and so many others on the frontline doing the hard work. 

''Straight pride' event in Modesto erupts in violence' & other Mon midday news briefs

“Straight Pride” in Modesto erupts in violence - Mercy!

  LGBTQ+ Migrants Caught in Deadliest Border Crossing Ever​ - The struggle is universal, y'all. 

  BYU pulls LGBTQ resource pamphlets from new freshmen gift bags - NOT a good move, BYU.

  ‘A League of Their Own’ remake shows what it’s like to be Black and trans in the 1940s - I haven't seen it yet, but it's gotten rave reviews.

Article shows how Libs of TikTok lie about transgender children, then runs away when confronted

 

Libs of TikTok is run by a person who will deliberately spread lies about transgender kids but will then run away instead of backing up her claims.

A recent NPR article looked at how children's hospitals are being falsely accused of harming children when in truth they are simply providing legal and safe gender-affirming care. The article names social media sites like the viciously bigoted Libs of TikTok as the culprits.

Hospitals and doctors around the country are facing harassment and even death threats over the medical care they offer to transgender kids. In many cases, they have been the subject of posts by a Twitter account called Libs of TikTok, as well as stories in conservative media outlets casting gender-affirming care as child abuse and mutilation. 

 . . . Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. became the most recent target this week when Libs of TikTok posted an audio recording in which hospital staff appeared to say that gender-affirming hysterectomies had been performed on minors. The hospital said that claim was incorrect and that none of the people recorded deliver care to patients. 

 “The information in the recording is not accurate. We do not and have never performed gender-affirming hysterectomies for anyone under the age of 18,” Children’s National said in a statement to NPR. “The operator speaking provided wrong information.” The statement continued: “Since the spreading of misinformation on Twitter, we have been the target of a large volume of hostile and threatening phone calls and emails.” Childrens’ hospitals in Boston, Seattle, Chicago, and Portland, Oregon, have also been targeted. 

Two portions of this article should stand out. One involves how Libs of TikTok instigates this madness by what seems to be deliberately pushing false information. This false information appeals to misconceptions some people already have about gender-affirming healthcare given to trans kids:

These false narratives about pediatric gender-affirming care are rooted in fundamental “misperceptions,” said Dr. Angela Kade Goepferd, a pediatrician and director of the Gender Health Program at Children’s Minnesota. “People have misperceptions that we’re doing surgery on young kids. People have misperceptions that we are changing kids from boys into girls at a very young age,” they said. They said care for transgender kids is wide-ranging, from efforts to help children socially transition to puberty-blocking medications, and is undertaken with the input of pediatric psychologists, clinical social workers, hormone experts and endocrinologists, as well as families. Gender-affirming surgeries are not a routine part of pediatric gender care, they said, and Children’s Minnesota does not perform any such surgeries.

Some of the claims about Children’s National, Boston Children’s and other hospitals were pushed by the Libs of TikTok account, which regularly reposts videos and social media posts from LGBTQ people, teachers, schools and other institutions. The clips are sometimes taken out of context and framed to fuel outrage or ridicule of LGBTQ and anti-racist causes, in what the account owner has described as “exposés” of “the crazies.” For example, a short clip about gender-affirming hysterectomies from a video originally posted by Boston Children’s that Libs of TikTok reposted makes no mention of patients’ ages. But Libs of TikTok tweeted alongside the clip the false claim that the hospital offers the surgery “for young girls.” 

 The second point is equally as important. When she is asked to questioned about her actions, the woman behind Libs of  TikTok refuses to comment while simultaneously playing the victim:

Libs of TikTok, run by a Brooklyn woman named Chaya Raichik, has 1.3 million followers on its biggest platform, Twitter. It’s gained prominence and influence in right-wing circles over the last year as conservatives increasingly try to use anti-LGBTQ sentiment to gain support. NPR reached out to Raichik for this story. She initially responded and agreed to an interview, but did not respond to a follow-up message. Raichik frequently condemns criticism of her online activities as efforts to “cancel and silence” her. She has said that she has also been targeted with death threats.

What Libs of TikTok is doing is no different than past tactics used to demonize LGBTQ people. Like I always say - neither the lies nor the tactics change. But the scapegoats always do.