Mailers and text messages circulating around Texas direct students and their families to transgender-related resources. Among other things, the content discusses unsupportive parents, emancipation, and out-of-state medical care.
Sent by Wyoming-based entity called the “Texas Transgender Student Union,” a mailed leaflet directs people to the Transgender Education Network of Texas. TENT has denied producing or distributing the content. Yet the messaging is similar to that found on TENT’s own online donation page and other materials.
The Texas Transgender Student Union is a limited liability corporation that was formed in Wyoming last month.
Addressed to “Students of the [redacted] Family,” the brochure is titled “Texas Trans & LGBTQ+ Student Resource Guide.” It prominently features TENT, lists other organizations, and promotes a multicity tour called the “Trans Texas Takeover.”
A section titled “What To Do If Your Parents Don’t Support You” encourages minors to seek a trusted adult or youth organization. Other sections discuss emancipation and direct students with questions about hormones or out-of-state care to legal and support organizations.
“Even if your family doesn’t accept you as you are, groups like these are ready to become your family,” the brochure states.
In an October 17 statement addressing the earlier text messages and new mailers, TENT said: “These text messages and mailers were not authored, authorized, approved, or distributed by TENT and are not affiliated with our organization.”
The TENT statement did not identify who it believed was responsible for the mailings and text messages.
State Rep. Jeff Leach (R–Allen) has asked the attorney general to investigate “organizations and individuals engaged in encouraging, instructing, or assisting Texans in circumventing, evading, or violating the requirements of SB 12, the Texas Parents Bill of Rights.”
He cited the earlier text messages that directed Texans to the “Back to School Toolkit,” which linked to TENT. Leach said the toolkit contained “guidance on not only navigating but circumventing and violating the directives of the bill.”
Christin Bentley, a conservative activist from East Texas, noted on X that TENT’s website has mostly been taken down since attention was brought to the toolkit.
