A federal judge in Florida determined Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ban on all transition-related care for transgender minors has been merely “an exercise in politics, not in good medicine” and will lift the law as its constitutionality is battled in court. U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle’s Tuesday ruling blocks enforcement of the ban and allows the parents of trans youth—including those who are suing the state—to access medical care such as hormone therapy for their children. Without treatment, Hinkle wrote “the plaintiffs’ adolescent children will suffer irreparable harm.” “Just below the surface in the testimony of some of the defense experts is that transgender identity is not real, that it is made up,” Hinkle said in his ruling. “The elephant in the room should be noted at the outset. Gender identity is real. The record makes this clear. The medical defendants, speaking through their attorneys, have admitted it.” The judge pointed to “bigotry” and recent comments from a Florida lawmaker, who in April described trans people as “mutants,” “demons,” and “imps” before voting to support a bill requiring individuals to use bathrooms corresponding to their sex assigned at birth.
