TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – During a hearing Thursday in a suit against the state of Florida over its law that bans gender-affirming healthcare for minors, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Hinkle flatly stated that Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis repeatedly spread false information claiming that doctors were mutilating children’s genitals as the reason to enact the law.

The Associated Press reported Judge Hinkle told Mohammad Jazil, a lawyer for the state, the law was sold as defending children from mutilation when it is actually about preventing trans children from getting health care.

“When I’m analyzing the governor’s motivation, what should I make of these statements?” Hinkle asked. “This seems to be more than just hyperbole.”

  • BumpingFuglies
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    11 months ago

    You know who’s really mutilating kids’ genitals? Any doctor who performs medically unnecessary circumcisions on infants.

    • LEDZeppelin@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      If doctors were ethical, we wouldn’t have red states running rabid on women’s rights to their own bodies.

      Not one medical organization has threatened to stop serving everyone until deep red states like Texas, Oklahoma, Idaho etc. leave women’s healthcare out of right wing politics.

      • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        But some red states have begun losing entire obstetrics departments. It’s becoming a real crisis.

        There are serious ethical questions of “do we let people die because their representatives hurt people in ways that don’t affect this directly?” Where gynecologists are fleeing people are dying, maternal mortality is up among other issues.

        • LEDZeppelin@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          Please don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying every doctor is unethical. That’s why I specifically mentioned medical professional organizations - you know, who are supposed to be the voice of medical professionals. If you are aware of such a dialogue going on within a medical professional organization where doctors are revolting against this unethical right wing attacks on women’s rights, please do share.

          I really hope the ethical doctors collectively form a strong force to back up women’s voice in this fight. So far I am very sad that we haven’t heard any.

    • SendMePhotos@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      Bro I didn’t know! We were torn on what to do. We read up on it and decided to match the culture of the country!

      • Verqix@lemmy.world
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        10 months ago

        So you chose culture over their personal choice and you and your kid(s) have to live with the consequences. That’s a pretty sad thing that could be prevented by only allowing circumcision to be performed when medically necessary.

        • TheRealLinga@sh.itjust.works
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          10 months ago

          It’s really disturbing how much they pressure you at the hospital. If I wasn’t educated about this stuff I would have fallen for it too… they must have asked me 5 different times if they could chop part of my son’s penis off. Really made me uncomfortable. I’m like do you have any idea what that part does, nurse?!

          • Corhen@lemmy.world
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            10 months ago

            I just had a son in Canada, and was wonderfully surprised that I wasn’t asked the question a single time at the hospital or the doctors office.

            If I had wanted this elective surgery, I would have had to request it, it wasn’t a default, or even presented option.

      • oce 🐆@jlai.lu
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        10 months ago

        As an easy guideline, if other developed countries with better healthcare systems don’t do it, it’s probably not necessary.