A physician in Dallas filed a petition Wednesday against her employer, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, for closing the sole transgender youth clinic in the southwestern United States.
Dr. Ximena Lopez, a pediatric endocrinologist at Children’s Health and associate professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center, filed the petition in Dallas County after UTSW decided to halt treatment and procedures at the Genecis program, which she founded, The Dallas Morning News reported. (RELATED: Corporations Lobby Texas To Support Sex Changes For Kids)
A Dallas doctor claims UT Southwestern’s decision to cut care for young transgender patients violates the university’s non-discrimination policy. https://t.co/HcaiH0ezFR
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“Someone, some entity, or some office is illegally attempting to interfere with or control Dr. Lopez’s independent medical judgment,” the petition states, according to The Dallas Morning News.
UTSW quickly halted care to new patients in November 2021 and told Lopez to stop prescribing certain treatments such as puberty blockers or hormone therapy at the clinic, The Dallas Morning News reported.
Lopez argues in the petition that this move by UTSW breaches the university’s non-discrimination policy, specifically in that it prevents her from providing care based on the patient’s gender identity, The Dallas Morning News reported.
Lopez asks in the petition who is enforcing the policy and why, The Dallas Morning News reported. She is deposing UTSW and Children’s Medical Center Dallas before deciding to file an official lawsuit.
In February, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said gender-affirming care is child abuse. Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott requested Child Protective Services investigate reports of sex-change procedures.
“But we are not afraid of your hateful political game, harming the most vulnerable so you get re-elected makes you pitiful,” Ximena wrote on Facebook about Paxton and Abbott.
“You lack humanity and don’t deserve to serve others,” she added.