Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) recently defended his administration’s decision to appeal the ruling of a federal judge who struck down a 2023 Florida law that blocked “gender-affirming care” — leftist speak for surgeries, hormones, and puberty blockers — for minors who believe they are the wrong sex, expressing confidence that it will be overturned because the law is rooted in “truth” and has already been decided on appeal.
A reporter asked DeSantis who he can justify using taxpayer dollars to appeal the ruling, as a federal judge struck down the state’s law designed to protect the innocence of children.
According to the Associated Press, Senior Judge Robert Hinkle said, “Transgender people are constitutionally entitled to the legitimate treatment they need and, quoting the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., compared those who oppose it to those who were once against equality for minorities and women.”
DeSantis, however, made it clear that the Sunshine State is not done fighting:
Reporter question from today's press conference: "Your office told us that you plan to appeal the gender-affirming ruling from yesterday. So my question today, since we're talking about the budget of taxpayer dollars, why should taxpayer dollars go to this case for the appeal?"… pic.twitter.com/e7WuCdD1bM
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) June 12, 2024
“It’s wrong to mutilate minors. It is wrong. It is wrong to perform a sex change on a 16-year-old. You’re not allowed to get a tattoo, but somehow, you can have your privates cut off. Give me a break,” DeSantis said, pointing out that the case has “already been decided by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.”
“They upheld Alabama’s law, which was almost identical to Florida’s law,” he said, expressing confidence that it will be “reversed.”
“There’s no question it’ll be reversed. Think about it. When the Founding Fathers were creating the Constitution, and when the first Congress passed the Bill of Rights, or even when they pass the Reconstruction amendments in the 1860s, do you think a single person involved in that thought that there was a constitutional right to do this genital mutilation?” he asked, noting that it is obvious that states can protect children.
Child with transgender- and rainbow-colored hair (Pexels/Alexander Grey)
DeSantis blasted critics, who say the state should not use tax dollars to fight. In reality, he said, they are “saying that any liberal judge should be able to veto the policy of the state of Florida because they go to the same judges every time.”
“We lose almost every time, and then we win on appeal almost every time. That’s what happened. So if you’re not willing to defend Florida’s duly enacted statutes against liberal jurisprudence,” DeSantis said, “then you’re basically saying the people of Florida shouldn’t govern themselves and that we should just turn over our destiny to some trial judge somewhere.” The Florida governor made it clear he refuses to sit idly by and allow that.
“We’re going to stand up for protecting the innocence of these kids,” DeSantis continued, reminding listeners that it is impossible to change basic biology.
Emphasizing that the state will win the case on appeal, as it has already been decided at that level, DeSantis continued, “How you’re born is what you are, and so I think it’s about, are we going to be rooted in truth as a society or not. And if we’re rooted in truth, then you would say of course you can’t do the surgeries, because it’s not going to take and transform somebody that’s a male into a female. So we’ll win that appeal. We may win it very quickly given that the 11th Circuit has already adjudicated this case going forward.
“Absolutely, we are going to defend the people of Florida. I am not going to turn over the destiny of this state to liberal judges,” the governor vowed.
RELATED — HHS’s Levine: Can’t Limit ‘Gender-Affirming Care’ to Adults Because ‘Puberty Is Hard’ Especially if It’s ‘the Wrong’ One
