Black LGBTQ+/SGL Civil Rights Group on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Move to Ban Transition Care for Transgender Youth, Medicaid Recipients
CONTACT: Brett Abrams | brett@unbendablemedia.com
FLORIDA — Yesterday, NBC News reported that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis asked the state board regulating doctors to ban transition-related care for transgender youth. The move came after another Florida agency issued a report justifying banning Medicaid coverage for transgender people of any age desiring puberty blockers, hormone therapies, or gender-reassignment surgery.
In reaction to the reports, Dr. David J. Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, a leading Black LGBTQ+/Same-Gender Loving civil rights organization, issued the following statement:
“The state of Florida’s actions targeting low-income transgender people’s healthcare is nothing more than a publicity stunt demonstrating presidential ambition. It is an election year tactic to turn out his base at the expense of taxpayers’ and Florida’s most excluded residents. This stunt should have all Floridians concerned. What will be next? What’s to
prevent attacks against those needing insulin or dialysis for diabetics, chemotherapy for cancer, or hysterectomies for people suffering from fibroids? Healthcare services that save lives should not be optional or removed from healthcare coverage with the stroke of a pen. Gender-affirming care saves lives. Medicaid funding must be restored.”
Camden Hargrove, National Organizing Manager of the National Black Justice Coalition, added:
“As a Black transgender man, hormone therapy is not only a tool for medical transitioning. Hormone therapy is also used to treat uterine-related disorders such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, leading to ovarian or cervical cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Many transgender men are at risk for these diseases and disorders like anyone else with a uterus. It is dangerous to make unethical and medically ignorant decisions on another community’s behalf without understanding the impact on their bodies and their lives. If Governor DeSantis does understand the full impact of his actions and has decided to remove these healthcare treatments from the transgender community anyway, then his actions are equivalent to premeditated murder.”
