Parents of transgender children in Florida have sued, asking a federal judge to block the state's newly-signed law that prohibits gender-affirming care for minors.
Three families argued in court that the law, which Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed earlier in the week, deprives them of the freedom to make medical decisions for their children.
The law prohibits gender-affirming procedures, prescriptions and surgeries for minors.
It also bars the use of state funds for gender-affirming health care, and tightens rules that apply to transgender adults who are seeking care.
Florida enacts new laws banning gender-affirming care for minors
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Wednesday that bans gender-affirming care for minors and restricts it for some adults.
Gov. DeSantis has made opposition to gender-affirming care a keystone policy, while he is widely expected to announce a run for the Republican presidential nomination.
"We never did this through all of human history until like, what, two weeks ago? Now this is something? They’re having third-graders declare pronouns? We’re not doing the pronoun Olympics in Florida," DeSantis said when he signed the bills.
The case bears similarities to other legal battles elsewhere in the U.S. Federal judges have blocked laws that ban gender-affirming care for minors in Alabama and Arkansas. In Oklahoma, enforcement of a ban has paused while a court case proceeds.
According to the Human Rights Campaign, Florida is now one of 19 states that have enacted laws or policies banning gender-affirming care for those under the age of 18. Eight more states are considering similar laws.
