Christian Nationalists claim to be all for freedom – until someone does something they don’t like. Then it’s time for the most repressive laws possible.
In Florida, a federal court has dealt a setback to a scheme by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) to meddle in matters best left to individuals and their families in consultation with medical professionals: The court struck down most of a 2023 law that restricted care for transgender people.
Anti-trans activists often claim that they’re trying to protect children from procedures they believe are ill-advised. But it’s worth noting that the Florida law went beyond care to children. Not only did it bar transgender minors from receiving certain types of care (even if the parents agreed to it and medical professionals determined it was appropriate), the law also put various roadblocks in the way of trans adults seeking care. The measure was designed to make life for transgender people in Florida difficult, perhaps in the hopes of driving them from the state.
U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle wasn’t fooled and saw the law for what it is – an attempt to use religion to control people’s private decisions.
“Some transgender opponents invoke religion to support their position, just as some once invoked religion to support their racism or misogyny,” Hinkle wrote. “Transgender opponents are of course free to hold their beliefs. But they are not free to discriminate against transgender individuals just for being transgender.”
He added, “In time, discrimination against transgender individuals will diminish, just as racism and misogyny have diminished. To paraphrase a civil-rights advocate from an earlier time, the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
DeSantis has announced the state will appeal. Here’s hoping the appeals court will tell him and his Christian Nationalist busybodies to butt out of something that is clearly not their business.
