Republicans from Florida were bombarded with negative criticisms for drafting bills that are reported to be targeting transgender kids, with the recent one giving authority to the courts to take away transgender kids from their parents.
SB 254 or the "Treatments for Sex Reassignment," filed by Republican lawmakers Friday, stated that the courts can be granted "temporary emergency jurisdiction" over Florida children at risk of or forced to undergo sex-reassignment procedures or prescriptions. Further, it requires healthcare providers to deny gender-affirming treatments to children below 18 years old or risk losing their license.
Critics expressed that the bill is another judicial attempt to "erase" transgender individuals.
Fascist, full-on war against trans
Former House lawmaker and Florida's first Latino LGTBQ representative Carlos Guillermo Smith, took to Twitter Friday and declared that the bill is ultimately "fascist."
Alejandra Caraballo, the former staff attorney at the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, also expressed frustration on Twitter, claiming that the bill is dangerous as it can give power to anti-trans family members to pluck children out from potentially safe and supportive environments and find refuge in the state.
She further wrote that the SB254 is giving "transphobic family members" the go-signal to participate in a "state-sponsored kidnapping."
In a series of tweets, she also stated that the bill is banning all public funding for gender-affirming treatments for minors and adults. State and local employees and their families will be prohibited from getting treatment. All public hospitals are forbidden to offer treatments.
Caraballo also said that between SB254 and other bills introduced, gender-affirming treatments would be entirely banned for all transgender youth.
"This is a full-on war against trans people in the state of Florida. This is a full elimination of recognition and a limitation on access to care for all trans people, including adults," she declared.
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'Historically bad' slate of bills
Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, a supporter of the Bill, argued that they respect parents' rights to raise their kids the way they want and believe that intervention from the government should be a "last resort." However, she continued saying that the government cannot rest with the frequent news about gender dysphoria treatments being given to children, especially the very young ones. The government must step in and ensure that information like this does not happen in Florida, she concluded, The Independent reported.
SB254 follows the equally controversial "Don't Say Gay" law, prohibiting schools from teaching about sexual and gender identity to younger students. The law was approved last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Republican lawmakers across America were reported to be following the lead of the state of Florida and are all trying to pass a "historically bad" series of bills, according to the Human Rights Campaign, where access to "transgender healthcare, inclusive literature, and quality education about sexual and gender identity" are being restricted from the public.
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