Florida continues to drive progressives on the left crazy by refusing to cave to their woke policies as so many other states are now doing.
Now, the state is looking to implement a new rule that would prohibit gender transition surgeries for minors, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy.
The joint legislative committee for Florida’s medical boards has advanced the rule to the state Board of Medicine and Board of Osteopathic Medicine, where the decision for final approval will be made.
The rule came about as a result of a recommendation from state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo that genders not be allowed to have these procedures.
Common sense
It’s common sense, considering that at least 80% and up to 94% of youth who at one point want to transition to the opposite gender change their minds by adulthood, according to studies.
Allowing minors to take steps toward so-called gender transition will result in massive regret for many of these youth if the studies are correct.
“I believe that based upon the testimony that we’ve heard this morning and the materials in the portal, that the risk of puberty suppressing therapies, cross-hormonal therapy and surgery, those risks outweigh the possible benefits and that there is a lack of consistent, reliable, scientific peer-reviewed evidence concerning the efficacy and safety of such treatment,” said state Board of Medicine member Nicholas Romanello, according to Florida’s Voice.
If the rule does take effect, minors who are currently undergoing gender transition surgeries and treatment as part of an Institutional Review Board-approved clinical trial at an affiliated university center will be allowed to continue their treatment.
Frightening
It’s frightening that so few other state medical boards are taking these steps to protect young people from the transgender ideology that is encouraging so many to pursue gender transition at a young age.
Minors’ brains are not yet ready to make these decisions, which often have consequences for the rest of their lives even if they decide later not to complete the transition.
Florida and 9 other states already restrict the use of Medicare funds for gender transition, which is an important step because it prevents taxpayers from paying for this potentially harmful care.
Gender transition procedures are often quite expensive, which some have argued encourages hospitals and clinics to approve of them even if it harms patients.