At the DFPS Council's September meeting a DFPS councilmember from Austin approached advocates who were there to testify on behalf of transgender children and their families.

His words to us, "You're wasting your time." 

Let's be clear, it is NEVER a waste of time to advocate for the rights of people who are being unjustly targeted by their government, and it is never a waste of time to defend loving families from government overreach that traumatizes children and shatters a family's sense of safety. 

As we have done multiple times, Equality Texas and our partners will be at the DFPS December meeting on Friday, December 9th. This will be the fourth public meeting since Governor Abbott issued orders to wrongfully investigate families of transgender children who affirm and support their children. 

As we did at previous meetings we are working to safeguard the identities of impacted Texans who would like to make their voices heard but for their own safety cannot testify in-person, we are offering to coordinate volunteers who can read testimony on their behalf. If you are a transgender youth, a parent or guardian of a transgender youth, or an impacted professional who works with transgender youth (healthcare providers, teachers) we invite you to share your testimony in the form below for a volunteer to read.

We want to show the DFPS councilmember who thought we were wasting our time that these investigations, no matter their outcome, have a serious impact on children and families here in Texas, so much so that many families have relocated from the state to protect their children for this weaponized government agency. 

Please do not share any identifying personal details as this testimony will be read in public. Aim for between 250 and 500 words so it can fit within the testimony time limit of 2-3 minutes.

*Equality Texas will not share your name, location or any contact information with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, only the text of your story.