1A Remaking America: Being a trans kid in Texas

WAMU 88.5 | By Anna Casey

Published November 28, 2022 at 7:50 AM CST

A person wears a vest with a trans flag on the back with the words Not afraid during a memorial honoring trans individuals killed by gun violence held by Gays Against Guns in New York City.

A record number of bills targeting trans people in the U.S. have passed this year. More than 155 pieces of legislation were filed in states across the country in 2022, according to a Washington Post analysis.

In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott issued a directive that sent trans kids and their families into a state of anxiety and fear. It classified gender-affirming care as child abuse and directed the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate parents providing that care.

1A recently traveled to Austin, Texas, to speak with trans kids and their families. We also spoke with Morgan Davis, a trans man who decided to leave his job as an investigator at the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services over the directive.

This conversation is part of ourRemaking America collaboration with six public radio stations around the country, including KUT in Austin. Remaking America is funded in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.