DeSantis has made it clear that he won’t “turn over the destiny of our state to liberal courts.”

Florida passed legislation in 2023 to protect children from the harmful effects of gender transition procedures. The state now criminalizes the administration of such drugs or procedures to minors, including genital mutilation.

This work by Republican legislators was challenged by Judge Robert Hinkle, a Clinton-nominated federal judge, who temporarily overturned Ron DeSantis’ efforts to protect children on Tuesday.

Hinkle argued in his ruling that “gender identity” is real and that providing drugs for chemically castrating sex offenders constituted “proper treatment”. This is despite increasing recognition among medical professionals in Western countries that gender-affirming care is barbaric and lacks scientific basis, especially when minors cannot give informed consent.

Hinkle’s arguments mirrored those of B. Lynn Winmill, another Clinton-appointed judge who blocked Idaho’s ban on child sex changes in December. Winmill’s decision, overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, relied on guidelines from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, which were exposed earlier this year for promoting harmful pseudoscience.

Hinkle concluded that Florida’s protections for children were “unconstitutional”.

DeSantis promptly announced that Florida would appeal the decision. When asked about the potential cost of the appeal, DeSantis responded emphatically, “Because it is wrong to mutilate children! It is wrong to perform a sex change on a sixteen-year-old. You can’t get a tattoo, but you are allowed to have your privates removed? Give me a break,” continued DeSantis. “This has already been decided by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. They upheld Alabama’s laws, which were almost identical to Florida’s laws.”

On January 11, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Alabama’s ban on sex-change procedures for minors. Alabama’s Attorney General, Steve Marshall, hailed it as a significant victory for children and common sense.

DeSantis asserted, “This will be overturned. It’s a certainty.”

The Governor challenged the reporter’s suggestion that Florida should not appeal, invoking the Founding Fathers and the Constitution’s framers. He ridiculed the notion that there is a constitutionally protected right to perform genital mutilation, asserting, “It’s ridiculous.”

DeSantis expressed frustration that activist judges consistently challenge Florida’s policies, emphasizing the state’s duty to defend its laws against judicial overreach. “If you don’t want to defend Florida’s duly passed statutes from liberal jurisprudence, then you are basically saying that the people of Florida should not govern themselves,” DeSantis declared. “That is something I will not do.”

The governor underscored that appealing the ruling was not just about protecting children and standing against suffering, but also about resisting ideological trends that contradict timeless truths.

“Are we going to build a society based on truth or not?” DeSantis challenged. “If you’re grounded in truth, you would say these surgeries can’t be performed because they don’t transform a man into a woman.”

DeSantis reiterated firmly to the reporter, “I will not surrender the fate of this state to liberal judges.”

Reporter question from today’s press conference: “Your office told us that you plan to appeal the gender-affirming ruling from yesterday. So my question today, since we’re talking about the budget of taxpayer dollars, why should taxpayer dollars go to this case for the appeal?”… pic.twitter.com/e7WuCdD1bM

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) June 12, 2024