Texas church starts nonprofit to help minors get sex change treatment out of state

A Texas church has launched a nonprofit organization to raise travel funds for parents trying to get sex change medical procedures outside of the state for their children after the legislature passed a law banning the practice, according to an announcement.

In June, the state passed SB 14 which prohibits physicians from performing orchiectomy, phalloplasty and vaginoplasty procedures on minors, and also restricts access to hormone and puberty blockers, with a small exception for intersex children. Galileo Church in Fort Worth, Texas, announced that it was launching a new project two months later called the North Texas TRANSportation Network, which gives $1,000 grants to families wanting to take their child out of state to obtain sex change procedures, according to an Instagram post.

Galileo Church Rev. Dr. Katie Hays told CBS News that the church had started “dreaming” about being able to create a system for families to be able to “seek healthcare out of state.”

“They’re hurt by the rejection of the neighbors, they really feel alone and like Texas does not have their back,” Hayes said.

Families wishing to apply must fill out a form to confirm that they have a “trans or gender-diverse child” and must be residents of one of North Texas’ 19 counties, according to the program’s website. The application also requires that the parents list a mental health provider, clergy person, nonprofit, or other individual who can confirm their child’s gender identity.

The application does not ask for the age of the child in question but notes that the parents must be the guardian and “legally authorized to seek medical care for the trans or gender-diverse minor,” according to the website. Parents can apply for grants two times a year for “Gas, food, hotel; medical appointments and prescriptions; income replacement,” according to the nonprofit’s donor FAQ page.

Galileo Church says in its mission statement that it works toward “justice for LGBTQ+ humans, and support the people who love them,” according to its website.

“We believe that God, through Christ, has welcomed all to God’s heart. Period,” the church’s website reads. “We want our society to reflect that, so we rally in Dallas or lobby in Austin or parade in Fort Worth or whatever it takes to get it done … We announce ongoing justice work through social media — FB, Twitter, Insta — because we’re light on our feet, just trying to keep up in a world that can be suddenly and seriously hostile to LGBTQ+ beloveds.”

North Texas TRANSportation Network and Galileo Church did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

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