Florida Fails to Ban Gender-Affirming Care Again

Florida’s recent legislative decisions have been just as swampy as its Everglades. Thankfully, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida has been navigating those murky waters. After a ruling last month, the federal district court has permanently blocked the state from enforcing SB 254—the bill that restricts gender-affirming care for transgender adults and banned that care for minors entirely.

Resulting from a lawsuit in March of 2023 made by a group of Florida families, a federal judge had temporarily blocked part of SB 254 back in 2023. However, it only applied partially to the impacted trans youth.

On June 11, “Doe v. Ladapo found that Florida SB 254 and the related Boards of Medicine (BOM) rules were motivated by disapproval of transgender people and violate the equal protection rights of transgender individuals and parents of transgender minors in Florida.”

In the 105-page document, Robert Hinkle, a federal district court judge, notes that “some legislators plainly acted from old-fashioned discriminatory animus.” He mentioned legislative instances in which lawmakers referred to trans folks as “mutants” and “demons,” and demeaned trans identity as “just ideological or made up or wokeism.” Hinkle further explained how the bill “saves trans people” and “recognizes who they are in the eyes of God.”

LGBTQ+ advocates are celebrating the decision. Jennifer Levi, Senior Director of Transgender and Queer Rights at GLAD, noted how the ban “forcefully reiterates that health care access must be based on sound principles of medicine, not politics or bias.” To the relief of transgender folks and their families, the denial of SB 254 will allow people to make the best healthcare decisions that align with their identity.

Florida law has shown a lack of understanding and recognition of people’s best interests. Striking down SB 254 is a step towards upholding the Constitution and law, and ensuring human rights for the LGBTQ+ community.