A federal judge in Florida issued a ruling blocking the state’s ban on gender-affirming care. He basically ruled that the issue was between parents, their children, and their doctors, not politicians. As in, butt out and respect parental rights.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A federal judge delivered a stinging rebuke to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-controlled Legislature over rules and a new state law that banned minors from receiving “puberty blockers” and other types of gender-affirming care.
U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle on Tuesday blocked the state from applying the ban to three minors whose parents are part of an ongoing lawsuit, saying they would “suffer irreparable harm” if they were not allowed to continue access to hormones and other types of treatment.
The preliminary injunction does not apply to other minors who may wish to obtain treatment, but the ruling suggests that a key part of the law itself could get knocked down as the legal challenge proceeds. Lawmakers approved the new law in early May at the urging of Republicans, who called the treatments “evil” and “child abuse.”
Hinkle’s 44-page ruling called the decision to pursue the ban on puberty blockers and hormonal treatment a political decision and not a “legitimate state interest.” Several states — including Texas — have also recently enacted bans on gender affirming care.
“Nothing could have motivated this remarkable intrusion into parental prerogatives other than opposition to transgender status itself,” wrote Hinkle, who was appointed by former President Bill Clinton.
Hinkle also added that “the statute and the rules were an exercise in politics, not good medicine. This is a politically fraught area. There has long been, and still is, substantial bigotry directed at transgender individuals. Common experience confirms this, as does a Florida legislator’s remarkable reference to transgender witnesses at a committee hearing as ‘mutants’ and ‘demons.’ And even when not based on bigotry, there are those who incorrectly but sincerely believe that gender identity is not real but instead just a choice.”
The parents of the children expressed relief. DeSantis’ office had no comment. The sponsor of the bill responded that he would never stop fighting for children, even if their parents don’t want his help.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
The Republican extremists seem to be bent on every kind of modern day witch hunt they can imagine.
Finally, someone, with the state of mind, who actually have, the best interest of these, transgendered children in mind, hopefully, this judge can be a, role model to the parents who don’t, or can’t, stand up for the rights of their, young…and, gender identity is still, not a choice, it’s based of off the, psychology, instead of the, biological attributes that a person, has!
I know what you mean, agree, but feel compelled to comment on the last thing you wrote. It IS biology! More specifically, genetics. Siddhartha Mukherjee explains this in The Gene: An Intimate History. I feel compelled to quote one of his summary paragraphs on this issue:
“The existence of transgender identity provides powerful evidence for this geno-developmental cascade. In an anatomical and physiological sense, sex identity is quite binary: just one gene governs sex identity, resulting in the striking anatomical and physiological dimorphism that we observe between males and females. But gender and gender identity are far from binary. Imagine a gene–call it TGY–that determines how the brain responds to SRY. One child might inherit a TGY gene variant that is highly resistant to the action of SRY on the brain, resulting in a body that is anatomically male, but a brain that does not read or interpret that male signal. Such a brain might recognize itself as psychologically female; it might consider itself neither male or femalie, or imagine itself belonging to a third gender altogether.
“These men (or women) have something akin to Sawyer syndrome of identity: their chromosomal and anatomical gender is male (or female), but their chromosomal/anatomical state does not generate a synonymous signal in their brains.”
DeSantis has also taken aim at gender affirming care for adults as well. A new law allows pharmacists and doctors to refuse to treat them. This law will be challenged as well. There is no end to DeSantis’ intrusive laws designed to score points with right wing extremists.
This is welcomed news. Especially sticking it to Florida.
And, evidence that Judicial appointments matter (even though one would like to think that party does not matter in judgements).
However, it will get appealed.
To be followed by the Supreme Court.
To be followed by parents’ class action suit on discrimination which would affirm this is a “class” to be protected.
To be followed by… To be followed by…
and THIS is why this fight for democracy must be bold and outrage.
And, in Missouri, the same law was passed (Governor yet to sign). There was a slight sigh of relief when the ban on gender affirming care was for minors, not adults. HOWEVER, a land mine in the budget removed access to Medicaid funds for gender affirming care so those living in poverty and without means will not be able to get care.
I wonder whether DeSantis really cares whether his rulings lose in court or not.
Win or lose; he’s scoring points with his base and other would be voters.
“Whether”. Thinking a lot about the weather lately…🧐
Enjoying that smog?
We were in northern Vermont for a long weekend. Drove back down here to NYC last night. I thought it was bad up there…
I’m subbing today. The kids aren’t allowed on the playground for gym or recess and all class trips have been canceled.
🤜🤧🤛
I had to bust out the mask yesterday. Really awful.
Yes, FLERP, I just walked Mitzi and wore a mask. No one else was wearing one. To add to the situation, there’s a city crew tearing up the street outside my building, adding exponentially to the dust in the air.
It’s getting a lot worse, and a lot of people in NYC probably don’t have a single air purifier in their apartment.
I’ve still got one from FEMA after 9/11.
The air conditioner filters get clogged up pretty quick. Someone told me to wash the filter(s) and put a Bounty towel over it before reinstalling. I don’t know though.
I’ve got six and I can still smell smoke.
You’re in Manhattan, gitapik?
I live in Brooklyn.
Wish I could post a shot. I was subbing about 10 blocks away from the Verrazano Bridge. You could barely see it from the 3rd flood window. Unbelievable…
My wife was up on the upper west side visiting her mom at the same time. Sent me a shot. Just as bad.
I drove across the Brooklyn Bridge about 6 pm tonight, and I could barely see the Manhattan skyline. It was wrapped in smoke.
Also everyone is now wearing face masks again. The particulates in the smoke are tiny and very toxic