Judge overrules jury who tried to stop transphobic dad from forcing trans daughter to live as a boy
Jeffrey Younger had sued for sole custody of his daughter
A judge in Dallas has overruled the jury in a custody case where a transphobic dad Jeffrey Younger is attempting to gain custody of his seven-year-old trans daughter and force her to live as a boy.
The parents, Anne Georgulas and Jeffrey Younger, had joint custody of their seven-year-old twins, one of whom is trans.
On October 24, the jury in the case opted to terminate the joint custody agreement and award full custody of the twins to their mother.
But Dallas judge Kim Cooks overruled the 11-1 decision of the jury and granted joint custody later the same day.
Younger had sued for sole custody of daughter Luna, seven, and her twin brother Jude, who currently live with his ex-wife Anne Georgulas and visit him twice a month under a joint conservatorship agreement.
The Texan father opposed his wife’s decision to “affirm” Luna in her true gender, making clear his belief that she should not not be permitted to live as a girl.
The legal battle has been ongoing for years.
Overruling the jury’s decision, Cooks said: “The state of Texas has no compelling interest to justify such interference… requiring the father to affirm the child and honour the child’s choices.”
Cooks added that the court had found no evidence regarding the allegations of possible child abuse against Georgulas.
The case has attracted significant attention from right-wing conservatives in Texas, with pundits falsely claiming that Georgulas would have the child “mutilated”.
There is no “mutilation” in affirming treatment of transgender seven-year-olds, which typically consists of using their correct names and pronouns, and permitting them to dress in their true gender.
“No Texas judge or Texas court nor the 255th Family Court or any of its judges has ordered the chemical castration, puberty blockers, hormone blockers or any transgender reassignment surgery on this child to become a female,” Judge Cooks said.
The judge has also ordered the whole family to attend family therapy.
