SouthernWorldwide.com – Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico is facing scrutiny over his fundraising activities, specifically his association with a surgeon who specializes in gender-affirming surgeries for transgender individuals, including minors. This comes despite Talarico’s recent public statements opposing sex-change surgeries for children.
Talarico, a progressive Democrat and state lawmaker, is engaged in a closely contested race to unseat Republican incumbent Ken Paxton in a Texas Senate seat. The outcome of this election is considered crucial for both parties in their pursuit of a Senate majority in the upcoming legislative session.
During a June 8 appearance on the “Unity Over Division” podcast, Talarico explicitly stated his opposition to gender reassignment surgeries for minors. This statement was made in response to criticisms suggesting he supports such procedures for children.
However, the website for Dr. Jeffrey Reid, the surgeon in question, indicates that his practice adheres to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) standards for patients under 18. Reid himself has clarified that while rare, he has performed female-to-male (FTM) top surgeries on minors when all parties involved agreed it was the best course of action.
Reid explained that such instances were infrequent, emphasizing his preference for individuals to make these decisions as adults. He noted that the decision-making process for minors typically involved a consensus among all healthcare providers and the patient.
WPATH’s guidelines for the health of transgender and gender-diverse people suggest gender-affirming medical or surgical treatments for adolescents only under specific conditions. These include the minor meeting diagnostic criteria for gender incongruence, demonstrating sufficient emotional and cognitive maturity for informed consent, and having any mental health concerns that could impact decision-making adequately addressed.
The guidelines also stipulate that minors undergoing sex-change surgeries must be informed of the potential reproductive effects, including the possibility of infertility. Furthermore, while legal guardians are usually integral to the informed consent process for minors, WPATH acknowledges unique situations where an adolescent minor might consent without parental permission, requiring extra care in supporting their decision-making.
Ken Paxton, the current Texas Attorney General, recently joined a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit that challenges WPATH’s recommendations. The lawsuit alleges that WPATH misrepresented its guidelines as being based on rigorous scientific procedures and expert consensus, while allegedly disregarding established guideline-development standards and removing age limits under external pressure rather than scientific evidence.
Dr. Reid’s practice, Restora Austin Plastic Surgery Centre, highlights his extensive experience in FTM top surgery. The center’s website features images and testimonials emphasizing masculine, natural-looking results and a patient-first approach, attracting patients from across Texas and the United States.
Reid’s personal website showcases before-and-after photos of breast removal surgeries. It states his decade-plus experience and his reputation for delivering aesthetically pleasing results while prioritizing the patient experience. The clinic is described as providing an affirming and inclusive environment.
Reid also commented that while the bar for gender-affirming care or surgery should be higher for minority patients, it should not be banned outright. He reiterated that in certain case-by-case scenarios, it was the appropriate treatment for the patient.
Despite Talarico’s recent stance against sex-change surgeries for children, he voted against a bill that would ban such practices in Texas in 2023. Around the same time, he expressed that the ban “infuriates me” and labeled it as one of the most “dangerous” bills passed in Texas.
In a podcast appearance that same year, Talarico attributed the ban to the “Christofascism” movement. In another speech, he suggested that if Jesus were to visit the Texas legislature, he would bless “the trans children who are bullied.”
Talarico’s pride fundraiser in June also received support from the Human Rights Campaign’s political action committee, which has endorsed his Senate campaign. The Human Rights Campaign had previously opposed the Texas ban on what it termed “evidence-based, life-saving health care for transgender adolescents,” and currently states that “medically-necessary health care for Transgender people (called gender-affirming care) is under threat nationwide.”
A spokesperson for Paxton’s campaign, Madison Cercy, criticized Talarico, stating he is willing to compromise common sense for his ideology and then lie to Texans about his past positions. Cercy asserted that Paxton, as Attorney General, has worked to protect Texas children by defending girls’ sports, taking legal action against those performing transition procedures for children, defending parents’ rights, and holding institutions accountable for prioritizing ideology over children’s safety.
The spokesperson concluded by emphasizing the clear contrast between “Sanity vs. Extremism” in the race.
