Wednesday saw the signing of legislation by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis that targets drag events, restricts discussion of personal pronouns in schools, and forbids gender-affirming care for minors.
In his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, DeSantis has prioritized anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
The evangelical Cambridge Christian School in Tampa is where Obama signed the bills before a jubilant audience. Unlike when he signed laws on abortion and gun rights, the ceremony had a campaign-like vibe, with DeSantis throwing Sharpies to the crowd.
During the session that concluded two weeks ago, Democrats opposed the legislation, and LBTQ+ rallies were conducted at the Capitol, but Republicans have a super-majority in both chambers and quickly approved them.
Standing before a lectern with the words “Let Kids Be Kids” painted, DeSantis told the audience, “It’s kind of sad that we even have some of these discussions.”
While claiming to preserve parents’ rights, DeSantis presented a narrative that expert panels in the country’s leading medical associations have declared is incorrect, such as the notion that children are commonly “mutilated.”
His opponents claim he is denying the rights of parents with transgender children.
Gay Democratic state senator Shevrin Jones said, “They have clothed themselves in being the party of less government and parental rights, and what we’re witnessing now is the complete opposite. ”
As long as your child is not gay, transgender, or bisexual, every other parent has the right to raise their child any way they see fit. For some parents, but not all, that is freedom.
The gender care law also imposes new limitations on people seeking treatment and forbids using state funds for gender-affirming care.
After the measure was signed, Planned Parenthood immediately began canceling gender-affirming appointments for care while the organization evaluated the law’s effects.
In several places, transgender medical care for children and teenagers is coming under growing fire and has recently been subject to limitations or outright bans.
However, it has been accessible in the United States for over ten years and is recommended by important medical organizations as a suitable treatment for those diagnosed with gender dysphoria.
Their policies typically forbid operating on children.
An assessment of the distress that results when a person’s gender identification doesn’t match their assigned sex usually comes first in treatment. Hormone therapy can treat persistent dysphoria with parental permission, although usually not before age 16.
The recommendations state that patients must be 18 or older to undergo surgery.
But when DeSantis spoke at the bill signing, cheers followed.
We have never done this using just human beings.
“Until about two weeks ago, we had never done this in the history of humanity. This is something, right? Third graders are being asked to state their pronouns. Florida won’t host the Pronoun Olympics, DeSantis declared.
The law prohibiting drag shows and gender-affirming healthcare takes effect right away. Beginning on July 1, the rules limiting access to bathrooms and prohibiting schools from requiring students to “provide his or her preferred personal title or pronouns” go into force.
Jones argued that the governor’s choice of location demonstrated how unpopular his program was during the race.
If he is so sure of his ideas, Jones advised him not to hide behind signing legislation at a Christian school or another location where prejudice is more likely to be praised. “Do it in the neighborhood. “
The proponent of the law prohibiting kids from receiving care that is gender-affirming, Republic Rep. Randy Fine, cited his faith to support the state’s actions.
God doesn’t screw up with our kids, according to Fine.
Jones branded Fine’s interpretation of the Bible as dishonest.
Jones added that it doesn’t work that way for “anyone to use Scripture in the same breath as you are being discriminatory and hateful towards a community of people.”
“You can’t take that book with you.”
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