Elliot Page condemns Texas governor over ‘dangerous’ comments about healthcare for trans children

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Elliot Page has criticised the governor of Texas for his “dangerous” comments equating gender-affirming healthcare for transgender kids with child abuse.

On Tuesday (22 February), governor Greg Abbott ordered the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate the use of medical treatments such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy and gender-confirmation surgery on trans children.

He said that he had come to the decision based on the legal opinion of his attorney general Ken Paxton, who declared that so-called “‘sex-change’ procedures on children” would be considered “child abuse” in the state of Texas.

In a statement shared with E! News, Page said that he was “horrified” by Abbott and Paxton’s “inhumane and downright dangerous declarations”.

“Trans youth deserve gender-affirming care and to be able to live their true, authentic selves without fear and oppression,” he wrote.

“I stand with trans youth and their families.”

The Juno star announced that he was transgender in December 2020 and has since been a vocal supporter of trans rights and advocate for trans kids.

Directly after Abbott made his statement on Tuesday, Page wrote on Instagram: “Horrific,” adding the hashtag: “#ProtectTransKids.”

Gabrielle Union, whose stepdaughter is trans, joined Page and tweeted: “This is where we are. We shot past dangerous and horrific a long time ago.

“The rubber has hit the road so who is standing shoulder to shoulder in this fight? Who truly gives a s*** and whose on that performative bs? Let’s see.”

The Republican politicians’ pledges were widely condemned by trans rights groups, with the Transgender Education Network of Texas saying Paxton was using his position of power “to bully some of Texas’s most vulnerable children yet again”.