A few days before he formalized his candidacy for American presidencyFlorida Governor, Ron de Sandyssigned a package of measures prohibiting the medical and psychological treatment of minors related to gender reassignment.

In addition, it targets drag shows, restricts discussion of the use of different gender pronouns in schools, and requires state residents to only use toilets based on their biological sex.

De Sandis, who announced yesterday that he will formally nominate next week to qualify for the leader’s anointing Republicans in the internal party elections of 2024, he built most of his political program on the restriction LGBT+ rights.

The signing of the laws took place in public at the evangelical Cambridge Christian School in Tampa before a crowd that applauded and cheered.

According to the Associated Press, the ceremony had something of a campaign feel to it, with De Sandys throwing markers into the audience, symbolizing the changes he wants to make with his legislation.

Narration

“It’s a shame we even have some of these conversations,” De Sandis said, speaking from a podium adorned with a “let the children be children” sign. DeSandis presented a version that expert groups of the country’s largest medical associations recognized as false. Therefore, children are systematically “crippled” and he defends the rights of their parents.

For his part, his opponents accuse him of denying the rights of the parents of transgender children. “They’re positioning themselves as the parental rights party, but we’re seeing the exact opposite,” Florida Democratic Senator Severin Jones, who is gay, said. “Every parent has the right to raise their child the way they want, as long as the child is not gay, transgender or bisexual. It’s not freedom for all parents – it’s freedom for the parents we like.”

Meanwhile, lawmakers in Texas on Wednesday voted in favor of a similar bill banning sex reassignment therapy for minors. The bills passed in both Texas and Florida are a fresh example of American conservatives attacking the rights of the LGBTI+ community. In Texas, it is against the law for doctors to offer sex reassignment treatment, whether it be hormone therapy or surgery. An exception is provided for minors who are already undergoing this type of treatment, but they will also have to gradually “stop”.

To become law, the bill must be signed into law by Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, which appears to be a formal process given his views on the matter.

There are 15 states in total USA imposed appropriate restrictions. Other legislation prohibits discussion of gender in schools and the use of gender-neutral pronouns by minors. Instead, democracies have pledged to be a “sanctuary” for underage transgender people.