DeSantis optimistic appeals court will rule in favor of Florida prohibition on trans procedures for minors

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis believes there is “no question” the 11^th Circuit Court of Appeals will uphold the state’s law prohibiting transgender medical procedures for minors – and reverse a federal judge’s ruling.

“If you’re not willing to defend Florida’s duly elected statutes against liberal jurisprudence, then you’re basically saying the people of Florida shouldn’t govern themselves and that we should turn over our destiny to some trial judge somewhere. That, I refuse to do,” DeSantis stated in a press conference. “I am not going to turn over the destiny of this state to liberal judges.”

In May 2023, DeSantis signed Senate Bill 254 into law, which prohibited sex reassignment surgeries and puberty blockers for children and “created a pathway for individuals to obtain damages when they were injured or killed after receiving sex reassignment surgeries or medications as minors.”

Robert Hinkle, a federal district court judge in Tallahassee, initially issued a preliminary injunction against the law in June 2023. This month, Hinkle blocked much of the law on grounds of “unconstitutionality.” Some critics, however, believe the judge’s 105-page ruling includes an expression of personal views tantamount to judicial activism.

“Some transgender opponents invoke religion to support their position, just as some once invoked religion to support their racism or misogyny,” Hinkle wrote in his decision.

Hinkle went on to claim that “discrimination against transgender individuals will diminish, just as racism and misogyny have diminished.”

Hinkle, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1996, has demonstrated a long-standing history of pro-LGBT decisions, including ruling against the state’s same-sex marriage prohibition in 2014. 

But Hinkle left alone the portion of the law banning surgeries for minors. 

The DeSantis administration has vowed to continue fighting to ensure Floridians can freely express their values through the actions of the Legislature.  

“Through their elected representatives, the people of Florida acted to protect children in this state, and the court was wrong to override their wishes,” DeSantis shared in a press statement following the ruling. 

“As we’ve seen here in Florida, the United Kingdom and across Europe, there is no quality evidence to support the chemical and physical mutilation of children. These procedures do permanent, life-altering damage to children, and history will look back on this fad in horror.”