A Republican state Senator in Florida has introduced a “Reverse Woke Act” bill, garnering national attention. Senator Blaise Ingoglia sponsors the bill, which requires any businesses that pay for employees’ sex transition surgeries will also be required to pay for any desired transition reversal surgeries in the future.
Ingoglia released a press release explaining that woke companies “need to be held accountable when offering to pay for gender-affirming surgeries in other states, such as California, because they are nothing more than political decisions masquerading as healthcare and human resource decisions.” The release also noted that around 27 companies have promised to pay for travel and transitioning surgeries for Floridians in other states.
“Floridians should not be used as political pawns to advance a leftist agenda for the Governor of California. If these companies truly cared about their employees, this should be a no-brainer for them,” added Ingoglia.
Foreign Desk News reports on the recent history of Florida’s legislative battles with transgender surgeries:
In early February this year, Medical Boards in Florida approved a rule to prevent minors from receiving life-changing puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries to treat gender dysphoria.
Last year, the Florida State Department of Health suggested against gender transitions for minors, highlighting an interview from Chole Cole, a former transgender individual treated with puberty blockers and testosterone at age 13 for gender dysphoria.
Cole has been open about her decision, speaking against the treatments and surgeries in several hearings, rallies, and interviews. These same individuals have shared their stories with Florida’s Board of Medicine and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine committee after de-transitioning to their original sex.
Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis said he would work with state legislators to pass a bill preventing doctors from performing sex change surgeries on minors, as well as introduce consequences such as losing their medical licenses if they seek out minors.
“We actually have very, you know, young adults who went through this when they were minors, and they’re saying this was a huge mistake,” DeSantis said at the beginning of the year. The Florida Governor also explained that it is “not evidence-based” when discussing “sex changes and puberty blockers.”