Two Trump appointed judges have once again put health care for transgender Floridians in jeopardy, highlighting the danger of allowing Republicans to intrude into medical decisions made by doctors and families. The two Trump judges were the majority on a federal appeals court panel which Monday ruled that Florida’s ban on gender-affirming care for youth and the restrictions it placed on care for trans adults can be enforced while a lawsuit to overturn the ban proceeds, overturning a US District Court issued permanent injunction that found the law unconstitutional.
Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus President Kristen Browde issued the following statement:
“With election day only two months away, these judges, who plainly ignored the law to reach a political result, showed exactly what Republicans do when put into positions of authority. Donald Trump appointed them, and they allowed the unconstitutional DeSantis-imposed intrusion into our private lives to proceed. This clearly shows the danger of allowing Trump to go anywhere near the White House — we can’t afford more of his politicians posing as judges to be appointed to the bench. They, like Ron DeSantis, are hell-bent on having the government make private and personal healthcare decisions for LGBTQ+ individuals and for all women. The ban on gender affirming care in Florida is facially unconstitutional, as it denies both children and adults necessary medical care.”
The American Association of Pediatrics issued a statement in August 2023 opposing “any laws or regulations that discriminate against transgender and gender-diverse individuals, or that interfere in their doctor-patient relationship.”
The lawsuit brought by GLTBQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, Human Rights Campaign, Southern Legal Counsel, and Lowenstein Sandler LLP is proceeding.