The second setback for anti-transgender legislation in Florida in the past two weeks came on Wednesday when a US judge overturned a rule and a statute that prohibited state Medicaid payments for transgender healthcare.
The state’s policies were found unlawful by US District Judge Robert Hinkle, who noted that they also broke the federal Medicaid statute and the Affordable Care Act’s ban on sex discrimination in addition to infringing the constitutional right to equal protection guaranteed by the 14th amendment.
Florida Transgender Health Policy Prohibition
The injunction was anticipated after Hinkle partially prevented Florida from enforcing its recent prohibition on minors obtaining gender-affirming treatments like hormone therapy and puberty blockers on June 6.
State laws prohibiting gender-affirming care have been overturned by US district court justices in Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, and Oklahoma.
According to the Human Rights Campaign, Republican politicians submitted over 500 proposals restricting LGBTQ rights during the most recent legislative session, and over 70 of those bills were eventually passed.
There are laws prohibiting care for minors that are gender-affirming in twenty states.
The rules’ proponents claim that they wish to safeguard kids who may regret their gender transition because they are being misled by their parents and doctors.
Many people with this view tend to disapprove of all things transgender and, therefore, oppose medical care that supports a person’s transgender existence, Hinkle wrote in his 54-page decision.
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US Court Acknowledges Gender Identity
It’s important to acknowledge the elephant in the room right away. Real gender identity exists. After a two-week trial, the court concluded that this is obvious from the record.
August Dekker and Britt Rothstein, two transgender adults, and two transgender juveniles who filed under false names made up the plaintiffs.
The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) and its secretary, Jason Weida, were the defendants. Weida did not respond to a request for comment left after business hours.
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