Joseph Ladapo Slams US News for ‘Pressuring Hospitals’ to Ask Children Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation

TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo slammed U.S. News for trying to get hospitals to ask children for their gender identity and sexual orientation as part of their Best Children’s Hospitals 2022-23 ranking list.

“Is @usnews really pressuring hospitals to ask children their gender identity & sexual orientation? Is there anything more inappropriate? How does this ‘point system’ measure quality of health care…” Ladapo said.

In the ranking, U.S. News gives hospitals points for various data collected. In “Table 11,” titled Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Measures, All Specialties, hospitals receive “2 points each” if various characteristics are gathered about all patients, or “1 point” if only collected for some patients.

Among these characteristics of children U.S. News is asking hospitals to collect include biological sex “assigned at birth,” “gender identity,” and sexual orientation.

In the same table, U.S. News asks hospitals for a “reporting system” for sexual orientation “and/or gender identity.”

Further down, they continue to give hospitals points based on elements like training on “diversity, equity, and inclusion” and “microaggressions.”

U.S. News told Florida’s Voice they have no comment on Ladapo’s rhetoric that their ranking is not an accurate test of “quality of care” or appropriate.