(Photo courtesy Charlie Crist)
Charlie Crist, candidate for governor of Florida, released a statement in response to the DeSantis administration’s latest attack on the LGBTQ community made June 2.
This attack was through the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, in a report falsely claiming that gender affirming health care is experimental. These claims were made intending to deny coverage for trans Floridians who qualify for Medicaid.
“For Governor DeSantis to once again launch attacks on the LGBTQ+ community – let alone during Pride Month – is disgraceful and dangerous. He put quacks and right-wing ideologues in charge to fight his culture wars, while Floridians are the ones paying the price,” Crist said in a statement. “Today’s report is yet another painful example of our authoritarian bully governor abusing his power and inserting himself into your doctor’s office if he doesn’t like you, doesn’t agree with you, or doesn’t understand you. Free state, indeed.”
Despite these claims made by the DeSantis administration, other medical professionals including the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Heart Association and the American Public Health Association oppose this governmental intrusion of healthcare and say gender affirming healthcare is vital for the mental health of individuals that need it.
“The AMA opposes the dangerous intrusion of government into the practice of medicine and the criminalization of health care decision-making,” said AMA board member Michael Suk. “Gender-affirming care is medically-necessary, evidence-based care that improves the physical and mental health of transgender and gender-diverse people.”
Crist strongly condemns the claims the DeSantis administration has made, and is vocal about his desire to allow all Floridians equal access to health care.
“In my vision of a Florida for all, trans Floridians will be able to get the health care their doctor recommends, regardless of what insurance they qualify for. We are all children of God, and we all deserve respect and compassion. When I’m governor, your agencies will be staffed by people who respect the LGBTQ+ community and trust doctors,” Crist said in a statement.
