The state has sued the doctor and two others for alleged trans care violations; trial set for October.
Dr. Hector Granados has spent years treating young patients in El Paso, helping kids manage conditions like diabetes and hormonal imbalances. But now, his work is under intense scrutiny. The state has taken legal action against the Texas doctor and two others, accusing them of violating a law that bans gender-affirming care for minors. If the courts side against them, they could lose their medical licenses and face heavy fines.
Granados insists he followed the law. When Texas implemented the ban in 2023, he says he stopped treating transgender youth. He denies prescribing puberty blockers or hormone therapy after the cutoff. Still, the state is pressing forward, making an example of these doctors in a legal battle that could set a national precedent.
Across the country, similar laws are reshaping healthcare for transgender youth. Texas is one of 27 states that have either restricted or outright banned treatments like puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors. While some states have gone as far as criminalizing doctors who provide such care, Texas is using lawsuits to enforce its restrictions. This approach has put medical professionals like Granados in the middle of a heated political fight, one where the future of transgender healthcare is uncertain.
Granados’ clinic in El Paso serves a com5-7 munity that has few specialists in pediatric endocrinology. He sees patients with early-onset puberty, hormone deficiencies, and other endocrine disorders. Until the law changed, he also treated transgender youth who had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria by mental health professionals. He saw this as a natural extension of his work—helping children manage medical conditions that affect their development.
Among his former patients is Emiliana Edwards, now 18. She describes Granados as an attentive and compassionate doctor who made sure she understood her treatment. But when the ban took effect, everything changed. During her first appointment after the law was signed, she recalls an uneasy atmosphere, as if everyone was afraid to speak openly. Soon after, Granados told her he could no longer provide the care she needed.
Her mother, Lorena Edwards, was devastated. She had watched her daughter thrive while receiving treatment, only to see her struggle as access to care vanished. Their only choice was to travel to New Mexico, where gender-affirming care remains legal. Many Texas families are making similar decisions, seeking treatment across state lines as their home state cracks down.
The lawsuit against Granados, along with Dr. May Lau and Dr. M. Brett Cooper in Dallas, argues that these doctors ignored the law and continued prescribing treatments for transitioning patients. The state claims that one of Granados’ patients, a 16-year-old assigned female at birth, was given testosterone after the ban took effect. Granados does not deny that he prescribes testosterone, but he insists it’s only for conditions like hormonal deficiencies, not for gender transition.
Texas’ attorney general, Ken Paxton, has made it clear that he will aggressively enforce the ban. His office has not responded to media requests but has stated that doctors providing these treatments are endangering children. While some argue that gender-affirming care is essential for the well-being of transgender youth, opponents claim it leads to irreversible changes that minors may later regret.
For doctors like Granados, the legal battle is just beginning. His trial is scheduled for October, while his co-defendants await their court dates. Meanwhile, transgender youth and their families are left navigating a healthcare system that has become increasingly hostile. For some, that means long trips to out-of-state clinics. For others, it means stopping treatment altogether, often with devastating effects on mental health.
Granados’ case is about more than one doctor’s career—it’s part of a broader movement that’s reshaping access to transgender healthcare in America. As states continue to push new restrictions, medical professionals are left in a difficult position: follow their ethical duty to treat patients or risk losing their ability to practice medicine. And for the families caught in the middle, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Sources:
Texas says this doctor illegally treated trans youth. He says he followed the law
Texas sues doctor and accuses her of violating ban on gender-affirming care
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