Texas GOP removes suicide hotline from LGBT youth page

The Hill

A Texas agency has removed its resource page for LGBT youth after a Republican candidate challenging Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in next year's election claimed tax dollars were being used to "advocate for transgender ideology."

Republican Don Huffines, a conservative activist and owner of a real estate development company, said the state's Department of Family and Protective Services was publishing "disturbing information about our youth."

"Gov. Abbott's political appointees that are running the Department of Family and Protective Services have put out - and it's been on their website - some very disturbing information about our youth. They are promoting transgender sexual policies to our - to Texas youth," Huffines said in a video posted to Twitter in late August.

"They're talking about helping empower and celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, ally, non-heterosexual behavior," he added.

"I mean, really? This is Texas. These are not Texas values. These are not Republican Party values, but these are obviously Greg Abbott's values," Huffines continued.

Within hours, the Texas Department of Family and Protective services took down the page, the Houston Chronicle reported on Tuesday.

In its place, a message on the website states that the previous content is now under review.

"The Texas Youth Connection website has been temporarily disabled for a comprehensive review of its content. This is being done to ensure that its information, resources, and referrals are current," the message reads. The site also includes links to a youth help hotline and "preparation for adult living."

The Texas Youth Connection page provided information for several services, including housing and LGBT resources.

The Hill has reached out to the department and Abbott's office for comment.

In a statement to the Chronicle, a spokesman for the department, Patrick Crimmins, said the review of the website was still "ongoing" but did not elaborate.

According to the Chronicle, which obtained information about the decision to pull down the webpage through a records request, members of the agency discussed the "Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation" page following Huffines's tweet.

Media relations director Marissa Gonzales emailed Crimmins following Huffine's tweet and wrote, "FYI. This is starting to blow up on Twitter."

The Chronicle also reported that Crimmins reached out to a colleague and said the LGBT resource page may need to be taken down or changed in some way.

The news comes as LGBT issues, specifically those pertaining to transgender youth, have become a new target of many GOP candidates and Republican-led state legislatures.

Dozens of bills have been introduced across the country at the state level in an effort to limit access to gender-affirming health care such as puberty blockers and gender affirmation surgeries for transgender youth.

In addition, legislation has been proposed to limit transgender women and girls from participating on sports teams that correspond with their gender identity.

Many Republican politicians have argued that the bills are designed to protect children.

LGBT advocates argue that such legislation can have a severe impact on mental and physical health.

GQP be like, as LGBT suicide rates rise (while their base believes them):

Why is Texas being so ass backwards lately lol.

Texas is like that drunk uncle who keeps telling you about all the fights he's been in but can't drive himself home because his license has been suspended again.

I'm just glad I was there for a few hours. At an airport.

This is the site that was changed to now this which has a clear link to this?

I'm lost about the suicide hotline bit.

So much time devoted to irrelevant social issues while china invests in microchips, battery technology, artificial intelligence, infrastructure, education...

They have no idea whats important.

So... more fake news spreading bullcrap?

@eoten: Did you even look at the sources? Steveos links doesnt disprove the story. He backed it up, the first was a webarchive link that doesnt prove jack.

Yeah, the article said the site was taken down. Clearly the hotline is still there so something isn't adding up. Do you have proof it was actually taken down? No such evidence exists either in the article linked here, or the article linked in that article.

@eoten: im not the one making claims, you and steve are. His sources dont disprove anything as its just a screenshot of the main page.

Texas is a shithole.

Pretty much. Needs to turn blue sooner rather than later.

Actually it has a decent QOL for a red state (most of which are far below blue ones). But there's a caveat, that's mostly due to it's Blue counties lol.

This country needs to find a way to amicably split up without a civil war. Just give the republicans the south plus Texas and Florida and call it a day.

There is no need to split up. Just don't let the minority terrorize the majority.

I just don't understand why the TC made mention of it in the topic title and in the thread. There is clearly still a hotline listed, and the article itself cited by TC makes mention of the hotline being listed in the placeholder site.

I am curious on exactly what information on the site was controversial. I was unable to find any archives of that information.

I see my post went over like a 747.

Christ almighty, this is a new low.

So this is a nothing-burger, then?

Not sure why the TC felt it necessary to emphasize the help line.

Having said that, the article says the whole site was taken down within hours....which is a knee-jerk reaction.

Seems rather obvious what happened. Dirtbag #1 complains. Dirt bag #2 panics because of politics. Emergency call goes out to take the site down. The whole site is taken off line within a couple hours.

Eventually someone smarter than everyone else realizes that they need to at least retain the two links to associated to youth programs that have nothing to do with gender/orientation.

It's rather obvious that is the chain of events and the reason why you want to retain those two links is also obvious.

Do I have psychic reasons to believe so? No. But Occam's Razor applies.

The suicide hotline angle is indeed a nothing burger.

I am more amused by the latent sexual insecurity of dirt bag #1 for complaining in the first place.

I guess I just don't see the need to stay together.

You'd have people switching all over the place if you split on party lines.

@PurpleMan5000: There is no need

The hotline "issue" is clearly moot. I think there's still cause for critique regarding the pulling of information; but we don't know what information was pulled since I can't find the sub-pages on internet archive.

@Stevo_the_gamer: Why are you replying to a comment that isnt there? And your second comment kinda invalidates your whole argument, since you dont know what was removed.

Why is my criticism of your post going over your head? Are you ignoring it on purpose?

Wat. I don't even know where to begin. lol

@Stevo_the_gamer: Response i expected. I guess the whole i wasnt talking to you went over your head to? I was talking to eoten, you just interjected yourself.

Oh, you deleted your post. How bizarre. And yes, I "interjected" myself into a conversation where you directly mention me four (4) times. lol

A classic case of don't put the cart in front of the horse.

@Stevo_the_gamer: Lmao! You were mentioned because eoten was replying to you, i never directly replied to you as i was replying to eotens take on what you said. Lol

I did notice you changed course. Wonder why….🤔

Oh, we're still putting the cart in front of the horse. You stated I was making a claim and have "changed course." What claim was made and what changed? Do provide receipts.

@Stevo_the_gamer: 🤦‍♂️ Now you are attatching two unrelated comments together.

It was the direction of this discussion that changed, your other comment had nothing to do with it. Good lord.

Back on topic…… What information waa removed and why?

This is just pure evil heartless pricks.

I'm pretty sure I said: do provide receipts. But I don't see any? :(

Edit: *crickets*

@warmblur: How? Might be going overboard there.

Removing a suicide hotline for LGBT youth page seems pretty evil to me.

Says one article without any actual evidence on the matter.

vying to be the new floriduh

I like how people are assuming its all of Texas who feels this way....so far its just this politician who wanted it removed. Its pretty clear that not all republicans share the same values as he does.

Are they contacting him and telling him?

Oh Texas....

The original page looked super benign. It's probably just a political move for show. Though a distasteful and destructive one.

I don't think that's very clear at all.

Id honestly hope so

The end of the article states that "many republicans have said the bill is designed to protect children". Not every single person who votes that way, thinks that way. There were a lot of republicans who hated Trump, they didnt believe in his values.