MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Florida Gov. enacts law banning gender reassignment surgery for minors

“It's important that we in Florida stand up for our youth,” DeSantis said

Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis Wednesday signed into law the banning of definitive sex reassignment surgeries for children and puberty blockers used to guide development toward one gender. “It's important that we in Florida stand up for our youth,” DeSantis said.

The new law bans sex reassignment surgeries for minors and experimental puberty blockers, a medication for those experiencing gender dysphoria.

The new legislation -actually various laws of a conservative spirit- also provides for students not to have to declare their pronouns in school according to what they consider their gender identity. And that detention centers, correctional facilities, and public buildings with bathrooms or locker rooms must designate separate facilities based on biological sex.

Meanwhile, adult patients receiving these drugs or surgeries must be informed of the dangers and irreversible nature of these procedures and give written consent. It also gives courts emergency jurisdiction to intervene and stop sex reassignment procedures for out-of-state children present in Florida.

The new laws also expand parental rights in education by prohibiting classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten through eighth grade while protecting children from sexually explicit performances or shows in all Florida venues.

This legislation authorizes the Department of Business and Professional Regulation to fine, suspend or revoke the operating licenses of hotels or restaurants if they admit a child to an adult show.

DeSantis insisted that in the United States “there are ideological groups that impose this”, which “we believe”, he said, “is wrong”.

“The law thus gives Florida jurisdiction over these interventions,” DeSantis said, after acknowledging that Florida is doing “the opposite of the rest of the country” in this area.

DeSantis remains silent on his intention to run for the Republican nomination for the White House in 2024, as he is expected to do shortly.