The new legislation recently enacted in Florida restricting gender-affirming care has sparked intense debate. Although discussions have predominantly centered around its impact on transgender children, the law has profound implications for many transgender adults as well.
Eli and Lucas, a trans couple, followed the legislative discussions. Democrats in the Legislature warned that a ban on gender-affirming care for minors could increase suicide risk among trans children. In response, Republicans shared misconstrued stories of mutilated children. Eli and Lucas felt “blindsided” when they discovered the bill would affect their lives as well.
“There was no communication. … Nobody was really talking about it in our circles,” Eli said.
Many transgender adults in Florida, like Eli and Lucas, now face significant challenges, including the possibility of relocating to maintain access to gender-affirming care. Clinics are grappling with the new laws that have turned Florida into a test case for adult-focused restrictions.
The law banning gender-affirming care for minors also requires adult patients seeking transgender healthcare to sign an informed consent form. Moreover, the law insists on a physician’s supervision for any healthcare related to transitioning and mandates in-person visits, making things more difficult for patients who previously received care via telehealth or from nurse practitioners.
These restrictive laws have forced some clinics, like the Orlando clinic that Lucas used to visit for hormone replacement therapy, to stop providing gender-affirming care altogether.
The state of Florida has the second-largest population of transgender adults in the U.S., with an estimated 94,900 people. It’s crucial to note that not all transgender people seek medical interventions.
Florida’s laws have set a precedent in a country where at least 19 states have enacted laws limiting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors. But, unlike Florida, restrictions on adults have not been a common topic elsewhere.
Florida is the “proving ground of what they can get away with,” said Lana Dunn, SPEKTRUM Health’s chief operating officer.
SPEKTRUM Health treats about 4,000 people — most in Florida and some out-of-state telehealth patients. Dunn estimates that 80% of transgender adults in the state previously received care from a nurse practitioner and have now lost access.
The new laws have created chaos within the community, and even potential healthcare providers are deterred by clauses such as a 20-year statute of limitations to sue over care provided.
Eli and Lucas have made tentative plans to relocate to Minnesota by November. They have started an online fundraiser to facilitate their move. “I just never thought it could happen this way, this fast and to us,” Eli said, underlining the drastic and unforeseen impact of the new laws on their lives.