Central Florida LGBTQ advocates blasted a proposed ban on gender-affirming medical procedures for patients younger than 18 during a rally Sunday, saying the prohibition would increase the risk of suicide for transgender children and teens.
Speakers denounced the proposal that would prohibit medical interventions like gender confirmation surgery, puberty blockers and hormone treatments for young Floridians who do not feel their gender identity aligns with their physical body. The Board of Medicine, which oversees licensing for the state’s doctors, is slated to discuss the rule during a meeting on Friday in Fort Lauderdale.
Advocates view the proposed ban on gender-affirming health care as the latest political attack from the DeSantis administration on the LGBTQ community. Speakers also decried recent legislation like the new prohibition on teaching primary-grade students about sexual orientation and gender identity that opponents have dubbed the “don’t say gay” law.
Gov. Ron DeSantis asked the board in June to ban gender transition-related care for patients who are younger than 18, citing concerns about “long-term, irreversible harms,” for youngsters who undergo these treatments.
But supporters said during Sunday’s rally that denying these treatments could endanger vulnerable children and teens by increasing their already-heightened risk of suicide. Eleanor McDonough, a legislative aide for Rep. Kristen Arrington, D-Kissimmee, denounced the proposal as hateful and said it was rooted in politics, not sound medical guidance.
“This is an all-out attempt by Gov. DeSantis to win over a Republican base that is becoming more and more radicalized,” said McDonough, who said she is one of few openly transgender people working in state government.
Other speakers echoed McDonough’s comments. Nikole Parker, the TransAction Florida Project Coordinator for Equality Florida, said denying gender-affirming care to transgender children is “discriminatory.” Parker said many people do not understand the experiences of transgender people, but that doesn’t mean their medical care is less important.
“I would not be alive today if I was not able to access this care,” said Parker, a transgender woman who transitioned 10 years ago.
The proposed rule runs contrary to guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which says transgender and nonbinary adolescents are at increased risk for suicide, substance abuse and mental health issues.
“Research demonstrates that gender-affirming care improves the mental health and overall well-being of gender diverse children and adolescents,” the federal agency said in a statement. “Because gender-affirming care encompasses many facets of health care needs and suppoGENDrt, it has been shown to increase positive outcomes for transgender and nonbinary children and adolescents.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics also has opposed legislation that bans gender-affirming care for children and teens. A handful of other states have already enacted laws or policies restricting this type of intervention for patients younger than 18 and more than a dozen other states are considering similar bans.
The Florida rule describes such treatments as “experimental” and says their availability has encouraged doctors to eschew less invasive options in favor of more drastic procedures “without full consideration of their efficacy, safety and long-term repercussions.” If approved, the rule would also require adults seeking gender-affirming treatments to provide written consent at least 24 hours before their procedure.
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