Renner launches House committee investigation into ‘gender-affirming care’ standard
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, authorized a House committee to investigate whether there was rigorous medical consideration in the endorsement of “gender-affirming care” standards for minors.
The move comes as Florida Republicans are passing legislation to ban certain gender dysphoria treatments including sex reassignment surgeries and medications for minors.
In a letter to Rep. Randy Fine, R-South Brevard County, who chairs the Health and Human Services Committee, Renner said the committee is allowed to investigate “whether the integrity of the medical profession has been compromised by a radical gender ideology that stands to cause permanent physical and mental harm to children and adolescents.”
The committee is allowed to issue subpoenas for documents and testimony, including from Florida-based organizations that recommend, endorse or promote the “gender-affirming care” standard of care, according to the letter.
The committee’s Monday agenda shows it would consider the “investigation of the adoption & endorsement of ‘gender affirming care’ as the standard of care for minors, and consideration of the issuance of subpoenas for records.”
Renner pointed to the American Academy of Pediatrics Florida chapter, which reportedly has told the Florida Board of Medicine that “gender-affirming care is the widely accepted standard of care for treating transgender adolescents with gender dysphoria.”
The Florida Board of Medicine and the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine Joint Rules/Legislative Committee approved a rule that would prohibit minors from receiving puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgery to treat gender dysphoria.
