Florida Department of Health issues guidance against gender-affirming treatment for trans youth | Florida News | Orlando

Going against guidance from the US Department of Health and Human Services, the Florida Department of Heath is urging state doctors not to give gender-affirming care to transgender youth.

Flying in the face of opinions from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the federal agency, the FDOH statement claims that “current evidence does not support the use of puberty blockers, hormone treatments or surgical procedures for children and adolescents.”

The guidance comes as part of a wave of anti-trans legislation and rhetoric by state leaders.

The Florida Legislature recently passed laws barring trans youth from competing in high school sports and another making discussion of gender identity in public schools illegal.

Gov. Ron DeSantis followed that up by  declaring the second-place finisher in a women’s swimming race to be the winner after realizing the champion was transgender. Central Florida Rep. Randy Fine has floated the idea of laws to declare gender-affirming treatment “child abuse.”

HHS did not mince words in a statement declaring that gender-affirming care is better for the mental health of trans youth than the alternative.

“Attempts to restrict, challenge or falsely characterize this potentially lifesaving care as abuse is dangerous. Such attempts block parents from making critical health care decisions for their children, create a chilling effect on health care providers who are necessary to provide care for these youth, and ultimately negatively impact the health and well-being of transgender and gender nonconforming youth,” they shared in a statement.

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