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A federal judge in Florida has ruled that the state government’s rules on transgender treatments for children are unconstitutional.
U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle ruled against the state regulations in his 105-page decision, in which he asserted that restricting children’s access to transgender procedures was an act of “animus.”
“Gender identity is real,” Hinkle, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton, wrote. “Those whose gender identity does not match their natal sex often suffer gender dysphoria. The widely accepted standard of care calls for appropriate evaluation and treatment.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during a press conference at the Greater Miami Expressway Agency. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
The federal judge continued, “For minors, this means evaluation and treatment by a multidisciplinary team. Proper treatment begins with mental-health therapy and is followed in appropriate cases by GnRH agonists and cross-sex hormones – referred to in this order as gender-affirming care. Florida has adopted a statute and rules that ban gender-affirming care for minors even when medically appropriate. The ban is unconstitutional.”
DeSantis signed SB 254 into law last year, prohibiting anyone under age 18 from undergoing sex-reassignment surgeries or taking cross-sex hormones to treat gender dysphoria.
FLORIDA JUDGE RULES SCHOOL HAS TO TEMPORARILY ALLOW TRANSGENDER TEACHER TO USE PREFERRED PRONOUNS
READ THE JUDGE’S ORDER – APP USERS, CLICK HERE:
The bill was passed by both houses of the Florida state legislature prior to DeSantis’s final approval.
Jeremy Redfern, DeSantis’ press secretary, told Fox News Digital that the Florida government plans to appeal the decision.
“Through their elected representatives, the people of Florida acted to protect children in this state, and the Court was wrong to override their wishes. We disagree with the Court’s erroneous rulings on the law, on the facts, and on the science,” he said in a Tuesday statement.
A huge multicolored flag flies along Ocean Drive as people participate in a Pride Parade during the Miami Beach Pride Festival, in Lummus Park, South Beach, Florida. (Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images)
Redfern continued, “As we’ve seen here in Florida, the United Kingdom, and across Europe, there is no quality evidence to support the chemical and physical mutilation of children. These procedures do permanent, life-altering damage to children, and history will look back on this fad in horror.”
He concluded, “Under Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida will continue to fight to ensure children are not chemically or physically mutilated in the name of radical, new age ‘gender ideology.’ We will appeal this ruling.”
Timothy Nerozzi is a writer for Fox News Digital. You can follow him on Twitter @timothynerozzi and can email him at timothy.nerozzi@fox.com
