Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recently filed a lawsuit against a Dallas pediatrician, May Lau, for allegedly violating state law by providing gender-transitioning treatments to 21 teenage patients. The lawsuit is based on Senate Bill 14, a legislation that prohibits physicians from prescribing hormones to minors for transitioning their biological sex.
Paxton claims that Lau, an adolescent medicine physician at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, prescribed testosterone to patients aged 14 to 17 to transition their biological gender. He accused Lau of falsifying medical records, prescriptions, and billing records to conceal the treatments provided.
The lawsuit accuses Lau of using a puberty blocker device on a 15-year-old patient and billing the procedure as treatment for an endocrine disorder instead of gender dysphoria. Paxton alleges that Lau obtained false billing information from an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization to hide her actions.
SB 14, upheld by the Texas Supreme Court, mandates the revocation of a physician’s license for violating the law. Paxton is also seeking $1 million in penalties from Lau for the alleged violations.
Supporters of the lawsuit, such as Jonathan Covey from Texas Values, commend Paxton for protecting children from what they consider harmful treatments. However, Andrea Segovia from the Transgender Education Network of Texas criticizes the lawsuit for discouraging doctors from providing gender-affirming care to transgender youth.
For LGBTQ youth in need of mental health support, hotlines like the Trevor Project and Trans Lifeline are available 24/7. Additionally, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides access to crisis counselors for individuals in need of immediate assistance.
The lawsuit against Dr. May Lau highlights the ongoing debate surrounding gender-affirming treatments for minors and raises questions about the role of state laws in regulating medical care for transgender individuals. The legal battle between Paxton and Lau may have broader implications for healthcare providers and transgender youth seeking access to gender-affirming care in Texas. It underscores the importance of understanding and respecting the diverse healthcare needs of LGBTQ individuals, especially minors, while navigating complex legal and ethical considerations in the medical field.