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For LGBTQ mental health support, call the Trevor Project鈥檚 24/7 at 866-488-7386. You can also reach a trained crisis counselor through the by calling 800-273-8255 or texting 741741.

In 2016, when Texas tried to stop transgender students from using the bathroom of their choice, there were protests, press conferences and a whole lot of anger directed toward the state鈥檚 elected officials.

But one mom tried something different 鈥� to have dinner at her house with her 8-year-old transgender son. Amber Briggle recently that Paxton and her son washed up together in the bathroom before dinner.

鈥淗e turns around and looks and says, 鈥楾his is nice. It鈥檚 been a while since I had kids this age,鈥欌�� Briggle told The 19th.

More than five years later, Paxton has helped set in motion a targeting of families with trans kids unlike anything experts or lawyers say they鈥檝e ever seen 鈥� and the Briggles are now caught in the crosshairs.

According to their attorney, they are one of several families who are being investigated for child abuse for providing gender-affirming medical care to their children.

鈥淩aising a transgender child in Texas has been one long political emergency,鈥� they said in a statement provided by their lawyer. 鈥淚t always seemed like this day would come. Now it has arrived.鈥�

In late February, Paxton issued a that equated certain gender-affirming medical treatment with child abuse. Gov. then issued directing the state鈥檚 child welfare agency to investigate 鈥渁ny reported instances of these abusive procedures.鈥�

While most gender-affirming care focuses on 鈥渟ocial transition鈥� 鈥� allowing a child to express their gender how they鈥檇 like 鈥� some transgender children take puberty blockers, a completely reversible medical treatment that’s prescribed for a wide range of situations beyond transition. Paxton and Abbott also cited concerns over gender-affirming surgeries that are .

Since Abbott鈥檚 letter, The Texas Tribune has been able to confirm that Child Protective Services has opened investigations into at least five families 鈥� and the real number may be much higher. A spokesperson for the agency said they could not confirm the number of active investigations due to pending litigation.

The Briggle family said in their statement that a CPS caseworker interviewed them and their children and inspected their house.

鈥淲e showed her all the food in our cabinets, the kids鈥� artwork on the walls, the toys, books, and games in the family room 鈥� The gardens and trampoline in the backyard. The beds piled with blankets and stuffed animals,鈥� they said in the statement. 鈥淚t was impossible for her not to feel the love in our home.鈥�

The investigator told them they were 鈥渃learly doing something right,鈥� according to the statement. But the investigation remains open.

鈥淲e are the family you would want to place a foster child with, not the family whose children should become foster kids themselves,鈥� they said. 鈥淎nd yet, the government is attempting to rip our family apart because we love our children unconditionally. Is this who we are, America?鈥�

filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and Lambda Legal has managed to block one of these investigations from proceeding with a temporary restraining order. A judge is set to consider a statewide injunction on Friday, though that hearing is stayed at the moment while .

The Briggle family, in their statement, called on people in Texas and around the country to push back against these policies.

鈥淲e need you to not normalize this state terrorism through your silence. Don鈥檛 just wring your hands. We need you to draw a line right here,鈥� they wrote. 鈥淚t is not acceptable that some Americans have to flee their homes to secure their civil rights. Stop telling us to move. Help us.鈥�

Brian Lopez is an education reporter at , the only member-supported, digital-first, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. This article  at TexasTribune.org.

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