Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico is facing criticism for fundraising with a surgeon who previously performed gender-affirming surgeries on minors, an event that occurred days after Talarico stated he opposes such procedures for children. Talarico, a state lawmaker in a competitive race for a Texas Senate seat, has drawn sharp rebukes from allies of Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, his opponent.
On June 8, Talarico stated on the "Unity Over Division" podcast that "I oppose gender reassignment surgeries for minors." Shortly thereafter, he participated in an Austin fundraiser. The event featured Dr. Dustin Reid, a surgeon specializing in female-to-male top surgeries, who confirmed to Fox News Digital that he had performed such operations on minors in "rare" instances before Texas banned the practice. Reid stated he no longer performs these surgeries in compliance with state law.
Reid explained that he had operated on minors on a case-by-case basis when "everyone involved in their care agreed that it was the best decision for this patient," but emphasized this was infrequent and that he generally preferred patients to make such decisions as adults. His practice's website indicates adherence to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) standards for patients under 18. According to WPATH guidelines, gender-affirming medical or surgical treatments for adolescents are recommended only when specific conditions are met, including the minor demonstrating sufficient emotional and cognitive maturity for informed consent and addressing any mental health concerns that could interfere with decision-making. The guidelines also require minors to be informed of potential reproductive effects, including fertility loss, and that parental consent is typically integral, though exceptions for mature minors without parental permission require extra care.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been involved in a lawsuit against WPATH, alleging the organization misrepresented its guidelines and disregarded scientific evidence when it removed age limits for certain treatments. Paxton's campaign spokesperson, Madison Cercy, stated that Talarico "is willing to sacrifice common sense at the altar of his extreme ideology, only to turn around and lie to Texans about the positions he has supported his entire career." Cercy added that Paxton has worked to protect children by defending girls' sports, taking legal action against those performing transition procedures on minors, and defending parents' rights.
Critics have pointed to Talarico's past votes and statements, noting he voted against a bill banning gender-affirming surgeries for minors in Texas in 2023. Around the same time, Talarico described the ban as infuriating and one of the most dangerous bills passed in Texas, linking it to "Christofascism" in a podcast appearance. In another speech, he suggested that Jesus would bless transgender children being bullied.
The Human Rights Campaign's political action committee, which has endorsed Talarico, also participated in the June fundraiser. The organization previously opposed the Texas ban, calling it interference with "evidence-based, life-saving health care for transgender adolescents."
Gregg Keller, a spokesperson for Lone Star Liberty PAC, criticized Talarico, stating he is "lying to Texans" by claiming he does not support surgeries for children, accusing him of fighting for them throughout his political career. JT Ennis, a Talarico campaign spokesperson, reaffirmed Talarico's opposition to gender reassignment surgery for minors, stating that Talarico "will continue to stand up against both political parties to fix this broken, corrupt political system and bring down costs for Texas families."