(Miami, Florida - May 17) Today, on International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law four anti-LGBTQ+ bills at a signing ceremony at a private Christian school.
The bills signed into law included: The "Don't Say Gay or Trans" expansion (HB 1069), extending last year's legislation from K-3 to 8th grade; a gender-affirming care ban (SB 254) with sweeping impacts on transgender youth and adults; an anti-drag bill (SB 1438) seeking to censor art; and a bill restricting transgender students from accessing bathrooms aligned with their gender identity in K-12 schools and public facilities (HB 1521).
Lambda Legal released the following statement from Kristine Kippins, Deputy Legal Director for Policy:
"By signing these four anti-LGBTQ+ bills into law, on International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia no less, Governor Ron DeSantis is demonstrating an intentional, callous disregard for LGBTQ+ Floridians and, in particular, trans youth by facilitating homophobia and transphobia and exposing this most vulnerable population to discrimination, harassment, and abuse. This heinous and horrific move is but the latest step in a sweeping campaign of hate and discrimination by the DeSantis administration against LGBTQ+ people for crass political gain. Let's be clear, these laws will deny transgender people access to health care, will criminalize and put LGBTQ+ lives in danger, will suppress or cancel LGBTQ+ events such as Pride parades and festivals, will censor LGBTQ+ content in schools, and will invite violence and abuse across the state. By signing these bills on this day, Gov. DeSantis is enshrining his hateful motives into law at the cost of the needs, lives, and futures of Florida's children."
Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education, and policy work. www.lambdalegal.org .
Parents file for an emergency order to Block SB 254 as Governor DeSantis signs discriminatory law criminalizing transgender healthcare
Florida families have added a challenge to SB 254 to their pending lawsuit against the bans issued by the state's Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine, and are seeking an emergency order blocking both
May 17, 2023 (TALLAHASSEE) - Three Florida parents have asked a federal court to issue a temporary restraining order immediately blocking enforcement of SB 254 [ www.glad.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/doe-v-ladapo-motion-for-temp-restraining-order.pdf . ], which Governor DeSantis signed into law today. The families, who have a pending challenge to the state Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine rules banning established medical care for their children and other transgender adolescents are also challenging provisions in SB 254 [ www.glad.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/doe-v-ladapo-second-amended-complaint.pdf .] that codify those rules into state law, add criminal and civil penalties, and create additional barriers for families with transgender adolescents.
Advocates for the families will be in court on Friday to argue their motions to temporarily block the Boards of Medicine rules and the healthcare ban provisions in SB 254 so that they can get their children urgently needed medical care as the case continues.
The families are represented by Southern Legal Counsel, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and the Human Rights Campaign, which issued the following statement:
This is a state of emergency for Florida parents, who are already being forced to watch their kids suffer rather than get them the safe and effective healthcare they need and that will allow them to thrive. Today, Governor DeSantis doubled down on the nightmare created by the Florida Boards of Medicine rules by signing SB 254 into law.
This law ignores science, unconstitutionally inserts the state into family privacy and parental decision-making, deliberately provokes family conflict by inviting challenges to established custody orders, and tramples on the rights and wellbeing of transgender adolescents.
We are asking the court to take swift action to block the ban on access to essential healthcare in SB 254, as well as the Boards of Medicine bans, to stop further harm to transgender youth and their families while the plaintiffs' case continues.
Read the Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order [ www.glad.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/doe-v-ladapo-motion-for-temp-restraining-order.pdf . ] and the Proposed TRO [ www.glad.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/doe-v-ladapo-proposed-temporary-restraining-order.pdf . ] against the enforcement of SB 254.
Read the amended complaint: www.glad.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/doe-v-ladapo-second-amended-complaint.pdf .
Read more about the pending lawsuit, Doe v. Ladapo: www.glad.org/cases/doe-v-ladapo/ .
More information on the safe, effective, and well-established guidelines on medical care for transgender youth: www.glad.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Facts-About-Medical-Care-for-Transgender-Youth.pdf .
Southern Legal Counsel, Inc. (SLC) is a Florida statewide not-for-profit public interest law firm that is committed to the ideal of equal justice for all and the attainment of basic human and civil rights. SLC's Transgender Rights Initiative protects the rights of Florida's LGBTQ+ community through federal impact litigation, policy advocacy, and individual representation. www.southernlegal.org .
Through strategic litigation, public policy advocacy, and education, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) works to create a just society free of discrimination based on gender identity and expression, HIV status, and sexual orientation. www.glad.org .
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ+ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community. www.hrc.org .
The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) is a national legal organization committed to advancing the human and civil rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education. Since its founding, NCLR has maintained a longstanding commitment to racial and economic justice and the LGBTQ community's most vulnerable. www.nclrights.org .
