Tallahassee, Florida - On Thursday, May 4th, the Florida Senate passed Senate Bill 254, an extreme ban on transition-related care and display of governmental overreach. This bill would criminalize and revoke licenses for healthcare providers who provide age-appropriate transition-related care, prevent Medicare from covering transition-related care for both transgender youth and adults, as well as prohibit public funding from being utilized to provided transition-related benefits.
In addition, SB 254 infringes upon the privacy rights of transgender youth and their parents by allowing the Florida courts to intervene in medical decision-making and custody arrangements based upon a transgender youth’s gender identity and receiving of transition-related care.
"As a former Floridian and a member of the trans community, it's heartbreaking to contemplate the possibility that I may not be able to visit my family in the state I call home due to the rampant anti-trans attacks, such as the cruel health care ban, SB 254,” said Dr. Devon Ojeda (they/he), senior national organizer for the National Center on Transgender Equality.
This latest ban on transition-related healthcare contradicts best practices and all guidelines recommended by every major medical association, all of which are in consensus that age-appropriate transition-related care is both clinically appropriate and medically necessary.
“We know that transition-related care is lifesaving for transgender people. We urgently need our lawmakers to prioritize the wellbeing of all Floridians, including those of us in the most vulnerable situations”, Ojeda stated.
By passing this bill, the legislative bodies of Florida are putting the lives and safety of the transgender community, especially transgender youth, in danger. SB 254 is one of over 450 anti-transgender bills that have been introduced this in legislative sessions countrywide.
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