TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – During a hearing Thursday in a suit against the state of Florida over its law that bans gender-affirming healthcare for minors, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Hinkle flatly stated that Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis repeatedly spread false information claiming that doctors were mutilating children’s genitals as the reason to enact the law.
The Associated Press reported Judge Hinkle told Mohammad Jazil, a lawyer for the state, the law was sold as defending children from mutilation when it is actually about preventing trans children from getting health care.
“When I’m analyzing the governor’s motivation, what should I make of these statements?” Hinkle asked. “This seems to be more than just hyperbole.”
It’s really disturbing how much they pressure you at the hospital. If I wasn’t educated about this stuff I would have fallen for it too… they must have asked me 5 different times if they could chop part of my son’s penis off. Really made me uncomfortable. I’m like do you have any idea what that part does, nurse?!
I just had a son in Canada, and was wonderfully surprised that I wasn’t asked the question a single time at the hospital or the doctors office.
If I had wanted this elective surgery, I would have had to request it, it wasn’t a default, or even presented option.