“We have no choice but to fight this ban to protect our daughter’s health.”

-Plaintiff Jane Doe, challenging the policy on behalf of herself and her daughter, Susan

Update: On June 11, 2024, federal district court Judge Robert Hinkle issued an order declaring that Florida’s ban on medical care for transgender youth and its unprecedented restrictions of care for transgender adults are unconstitutional and may not be enforced. Following the order, the State of Florida appealed his decision to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, which will decide whether to affirm or reverse his decision. In September, a panel of the Eleventh Circuit stayed Judge Hinkle’s order pending its resolution of the appeal, which means that the challenged laws are currently in effect, depriving Florida families and transgender adults of the ability to obtain medical care. On October 2, Florida families challenging the state’s ban on medical care for transgender youth urged the Eleventh Circuit to strike down the ban because it was based on animosity toward transgender people and has no basis in medical science.

Case Summary

On March 23, 2023, a group of Florida families filed a lawsuit with the support of GLAD and our partners against a new ban on medically necessary healthcare for transgender youth. The new policies run contrary to the guidance of physicians, medical associations, and researchers.

The rules also unlawfully strip parents of the right to make informed decisions about their children’s medical treatment and violate the equal protection rights of transgender youth by denying them medically necessary, doctor-recommended healthcare to treat their gender dysphoria.

Learn about the Florida families, who are proceeding anonymously in this lawsuit for the protection of their children’s privacy.

GLAD filed this case along with the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Southern Legal Counsel, Human Rights Campaign, and Lowenstein Sandler LLP.

On April 24, the families sought an emergency ruling to resume medical care for their trans children. On May 17, our team asked a federal court to issue a temporary restraining order immediately blocking enforcement of SB 254, which Governor DeSantis signed into law. SB 254 solidifies the policies into law. 

On June 6, a federal court issued a preliminary injunction halting enforcement of Florida’s ban on healthcare for transgender minors and saying the ban is unconstitutional.

On July 21, we expanded the lawsuit to include four transgender adults, asking the court to stop the ban for all trans people harmed by the law. Days later, our adult plaintiffs filed a motion asking for an emergency block on the provisions in SB 254 that deny care to trans adults. The plaintiffs — Olivia Noel, Kai Pope, Lucien Hamel, and Rebecca Cruz Evia — are all facing dangerous disruptions in their ongoing medical care due to the Florida law.

In December, GLAD was in federal court in Tallahassee for a multi-day trial. Plaintiffs gave powerful testimony describing the harms of this extreme ban to themselves, their families, and especially their children. Multiple medical experts also testified about the well-established standards and guidelines for transition-related care. During the trial, GLAD and our partner organizations presented evidence to demonstrate that these restrictions are part of a campaign to target transgender people in Florida for unfair treatment, underscore that there is no medical basis for the restrictions on medical care, and that they violate transgender citizens’ fundamental rights. We filed a post-trial memorandum in January summarizing facts presented and arguments made.

Federal district court Judge Robert Hinkle issued an order on June 11, 2024 declaring that Florida’s ban on medical care for transgender youth and its unprecedented restrictions of care for transgender adults are unconstitutional and may not be enforced. The ruling in Doe v. Ladapo found that Florida SB 254 and the related Boards of Medicine (BOM) rules were motivated by disapproval of transgender people and violate the equal protection rights of transgender individuals and parents of transgender minors in Florida. Florida was the first state to pass a law restricting access to health care for transgender adults. On July 12, 2024, the Court denied the State of Florida’s request to stay the June 11 decision pending appeal.

Following Judge Hinkle’s order, the State of Florida appealed his decision to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, which will decide whether to affirm or reverse his decision. In September 2024, a panel of the Eleventh Circuit stayed Judge Hinkle’s order pending its resolution of the appeal, which means that the challenged laws are currently in effect, depriving Florida families and transgender adults of the ability to obtain medical care.

On October 2, Florida families challenging the state’s ban on medical care for transgender youth urged the Eleventh Circuit to strike down the ban because it was based on animosity toward transgender people and has no basis in medical science. Striking down the ban would affirm the earlier lower federal court decision, which took this action based on this reasoning.

Learn more about medical care for trans youth and Florida Boards of Medicine’s ban, and check our latest resource for Frequently Asked Questions.