DeSantis wants lawmakers to ban doctors from performing sex changes on minors

By Lydia Nusbaum

Published Jan. 31, 2023, 12:45 p.m. ET | Updated Jan. 31, 2023

Gov. Ron DeSantis unveils plan to pursue comprehensive legislation to lower prescription drug prices and promote transparency, The Villages, Fla., Jan. 12, 2023.

BRADENTON, Fla. (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis said he will work with the legislature to pass legislation prohibiting doctors from performing sex changes on minors in Florida.

“We actually have very, you know, young adults who went through this when they were minors, and they’re saying this was a huge mistake,” DeSantis said. “And in fact, that’s not evidence-based when you start talking about sex changes and puberty blockers.”

In November, the Florida Board of Medicine and the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine at a joint meeting approved rules banning minors from receiving puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgery to treat gender dysphoria. The boards are expected to officially enact those rules in the upcoming February meeting.

“If you are performing those procedures on those minors, you’re going to lose your medical license here in Florida, so that is happening,” he explained.

“We’re also going to work with the legislature to make sure that we put that into statute so that you’re able to have accountability in that sphere.”

The governor noted that counseling and other resources are needed to help minors dealing with gender dysphoria.

“The way to deal with that is to provide whatever counseling is needed. Not to hack off their body parts,” he said. “That is not a solution to the problem that is mutilation, and it is wrong.”