With the GOP able to pass the Parental Right in Education bill, causing a mountain of backlash and criticism from Democrats, the White House, and LGBTQ activists, it appears the Republicans aren’t done in the state of Florida. State Representative Randy Fine proposed legislation that would allow felony charges to be brought against parents for giving children drugs and surgeries surrounding gender reassignment.
Writing about his proposal on social media, Fine said, “I’ve had enough of this nonsense. Next session, I will help shepherd legislation to make it illegal to provide drugs or surgery to a minor for the purpose of alleged ‘gender assignment.’ The legislation will make it felony child abuse punishable by prison and loss of medical license. This legislation would not affect mental counseling.”
The Republican added, “If an adult wants to self-mutilate their body in pursuit of the fiction that they can defy both G-d and science, more power to them — so long as they don’t expect me to pay for it. But no child should be put in the position of making fundamentally life-altering decisions before they are of the age of majority,” he noted. “I can call myself a porcupine, but that doesn’t make it so. It is time for us to dispense with this fantasy — one that is turning our women’s sports into a joke and our schools into a cesspool.”
Fine’s announcement comes as he is up for reelection this year. His opponent, state Representative and Democrat Carlos Guillermo, was stunned by the move. “Florida Republicans are on a dangerous course, retaliating against any person or business who expresses support for the LGBTQ+ community. This latest threat to criminalize parents and doctors who provide life-saving care for LGBTQ youth should shock the conscience of all Floridians.”
It wasn’t just Guillermo as state Representative Anna V. Eskamani weighed in one the entire matter, tweeting, “FL Republicans once again showing us that the entire premise of HB1557 was & is to attack the health & well-being of LGBTQ+ youth, who they don’t think should even be able to access medical care w/parental consent. This policy proposal is dangerous & will harm already marginalized people. Data indicate that 82% of transgender individuals have considered killing themselves and 40% have attempted suicide, with suicidality highest among transgender youth. Help solve problems, stop creating more of them.”
This piece was written by Jeremy Porter on April 5, 2022. It originally appeared in DrewBerquist.com and is used by permission.
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