8/22/22

With a “feeling of betrayal,” one family flees Texas in search of safe home for their transgender daughter

Watch: With a “feeling of betrayal,” one family flees Texas in search of safer climate for their transgender daughter

"Watch: With a “feeling of betrayal,” one family flees Texas in search of safer climate for their transgender daughter" was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

Watch more video.

Having trouble viewing? Watch this video on texastribune.org.

Ess Welsh spent her entire life in Texas. It’s where she fell in love with marching band, where she found a community of fellow Dungeons and Dragons players, and where she faced the looming threat of her family being investigated for child abuse.

In February, Gov. Greg Abbott told the Texas Department of Family Protective and Services to investigate families providing their transgender children with gender-affirming care. The directive is still in legal limbo.

[What is gender-affirming medical care for transgender children? Here’s what you need to know.]

For the Welsh family, leaving Texas means facing huge financial risks, severing community ties, and breaking bonds with trusted therapists and care providers. However, staying carries the threat of investigations, family separation and a loss of the crucial gender-affirming medical care that leading medical organizations have deemed medically necessary.

The Welsh family was just one of many grappling with this difficult decision.


The full program is now LIVE for the 2022 The Texas Tribune Festival, happening Sept. 22-24 in Austin. Explore the schedule of 100+ mind-expanding conversations coming to TribFest, including the inside track on the 2022 elections and the 2023 legislative session, the state of public and higher ed at this stage in the pandemic, why Texas suburbs are booming, why broadband access matters, the legacy of slavery, what really happened in Uvalde and so much more. See the program.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2022/08/22/family-with-transgender-daughter-flees-texas/.

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.

 

8/1/22

Transgender woman fatally Shot in East Houston Friday

 Marisela Castro / Houston Chronicle

A Transgender woman was shot in the back of her head and left for dead on a street in East Houston Friday morning.

The Houston Chronicle has identified the victim as Marisela Castro, who recently moved to Houston from North Carolina to be closer to her Family.

Houston police detectives told ABC13 that the shooting happened very quickly, in just 10 seconds.

The victim was shot in the back in the middle of Wood Shadows Drive near the East Freeway around 1:45 a.m. Friday, police said.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Detectives said the victim was driving her car -- a four-door maroon Chrysler 200 -- with two other people also inside.

Police said the woman stopped the car on Centerwood Drive at Wood Shadows Drive, and she and a man got out.

That's when the suspect fired one shot from behind before getting back in the car and taking off, according to HPD.

"Our victim stepped out of the vehicle, was driving another person - it's hard to say - they were dressed in black, possibly a male," Det. Sgt. Thomas Simmons said. "They got out of the backseat. There was one gunshot fired. The victim fell. The suspect returned to the back of the vehicle. The vehicle left."

According to the TDoR TransLivesMatter website, Castro is the 55th trans person murdered in the USA since the 2019 TDoR.

Rest in Peace Marisela Castro.

Investigators are urging anyone with information about the incident to contact the HPD Homicide Division at (713) 308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at (713) 222-8477.