Three Florida children who had already begun taking hormones to transition from one gender to another before Governor Ron DeSantis banned all gender-affirming procedures for minors last month will be allowed to continue with their metamorphosis, Judge Robert Hinkle ruled on Tuesday, issuing a temporary injunction to prevent the law from taking effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finding in favor of the three children\u2019s parents, who had sued the state so that their offspring might continue their transitions, Hinkle argued the youths were at greater risk from being forced to stop hormone treatment than they were from continuing and completing their transition and that Florida thus had no rational basis for its interference. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere are risks attendant to not using these treatments, including the risk \u2013 in some cases, the near certainty \u2013 of anxiety and depression and even suicidal ideation,\u201d the judge explained. \u201cThe plaintiffs\u2019 adolescent children will suffer irreparable harm \u2014 the unwanted and irreversible onset and progression of puberty in their natal sex \u2014 if they do not promptly begin treatment with GnRH agonists.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hinkle insisted the controversial hormone treatment would \u201ccause the defendants no harm,\u201d complaining the new law \u201cignores the benefits that many patients realize from these treatments and the substantial risk posed by foregoing the treatments.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGender identity is real. The record makes this clear,\u201d he proclaimed, excoriating the state for its supposed belief that \u201ccisgender individuals properly adhere to their natal sex and that transgender individuals have inappropriately chosen a contrary gender identity, male or female, just as one might choose whether to read Shakespeare or Grisham.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People who believe being transgender is a choice are likely to also \u201cdisapprove of all things transgender and so oppose medical care that supports a person\u2019s transgender existence,\u201d Hinkle explained, warning that the state\u2019s ban on such care \u2013 especially for children \u2013 would merely drive it underground and increase the risk to patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DeSantis, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination for the 2024 election, has made his crusade against the spread of LGBT ideology targeting children the centerpiece of his campaign. The governor has squared off against entertainment giant Disney, the largest employer in his state, and has boasted on more than one occasion that \u201cFlorida is where woke goes to die.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to the now-paused ban on gender-affirming treatments for kids, the package of legislation signed into Florida law last month included a ban on forcing children to declare \u201cpreferred pronouns\u201d in school, restrictions on drag shows targeting children, requirements that students use bathrooms associated with their birth gender, and a prohibition on using state funds to pay for gender-affirming care even for adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n