Dear Friend,
Today marks the beginning of Pride Month, and now it is more important than ever for us to honor Pride and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.
Let me tell you why.
In case you missed it, this has been a disastrous year for equality in Florida. In one day Governor Ron DeSantis signed four anti-LGBTQ+ bills into law. Four!
It’s a record for bigotry, and these policies specifically target trans people in their ability to access care, demonize Drag Queens, expands the infamous Don’t Say Gay/Trans law along with book bans, and restricts a trans person’s ability to use a bathroom that reflects their gender identity.
In addition to these policies we’ve also seen a wave of homophobia and transphobia across the country. Harassment, threats, vandalism — it is creating an environment where allies are scared to defend LGBTQ+ people and those within the community are fearful for their safety.
It’s these reason and more why we must fight back and celebrate Pride. Why we must strive for a community and state where every person is welcome and can be their true authentic self. Why we must call out the attacks, and honor those no longer with us through action.
That’s why we must not only celebrate Pride Month, but find ways to support those who need us the most.
With that said, this afternoon at 2:30pm in Tampa the Florida Board of Medicine and Board of Osteopathic Medicine are hosting an emergency meeting to develop rules and create a new informed consent form that is required by law to access Gender Affirming Care.
These new rules are urgently needed, as many providers have stopped caring for new or existing adult patients – effectively freezing all access – until the informed consent forms are finalized. Minors who are grandfathered in are similarly impacted by the rules and need consent forms to be developed.
Attend speak today’s meeting in Tampa if you can. If you cannot attend, you can click this link to send an email to all members of these boards asking them to move swiftly in developing these new rules and the informed consent form.
Onward for equality!
Rep. Anna V. Eskamani