Another U.S. Judge Rules Against Anti-Lgbtq Law

AU.S. federal judge in Florida on Tuesday ruled that a state law banning gender-affirming care for minors was outside the law and suspended most parts of it, a decision some church leaders hail as a positive step.

U.S. Judge Robert Hinkle ruled that trans children can continue receiving genderaffirming care, despite a state law Gov. Ron DeSantis signed only days ago.

“Nationally, the Human Rights Campaign has declared a state of emergency based on the extreme threat to the health, safety, and well-being of LGBTQ people. California is not immune from this threat and is absolutely part of this emergency.

“These lies about LGBTQ people are dangerous, and the best way to fight them is what Glendale Unified and school districts across the country are doing: Teaching about diversity and humanizing other people’s experiences. We will never back down from promoting inclusivity and acceptance — not in our classrooms and not in our State.”

“Being transgender is not a choice, any more than being cis, straight, lesbian or gay is,” said Rev. Elder Cecilia Eggleston, moderator of Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) worldwide, which has more than a dozen congregations in Florida. “A conservative government that espouses individual liberty and parental choice should not, in any way, restrict the medical decisions of parents and qualified medical experts.”

“Our Florida network of MCC churches has worked hard – and will continue to push back – in the fight against anti-LGBTQ, and especially anti-trans, legislation,” said Rev. Craig Cranston of St. John the Apostle MCC in Ft. Myers, Florida. “The targeting of transgender persons is a political red herring that takes away parental rights and further restricts medical professionals in doing their jobs. None of this is Christian, Biblical, or spiritually valid, and I’m very happy to learn of Judge Hinkle’s ruling.”

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