Scroll To Top
Politics

Here's how Ron DeSantis is still tormenting LGBTQ+ kids after failed presidential campaign

A rainbow flag and Ron DeSantis

DeSantis is still going after queer youth.

Support The Advocate
We're asking for your help to continue our newsroom's important reporting. Support LGBTQ+ journalism by contributing today!

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the state will sue President Joe Biden’s administration for requiring schools to accommodate transgender students with restroom access. It was the latest reminder that even though the Republican has suspended his presidential campaign, he’s not done hurting LGBTQ+ children.

DeSantis posted a complaint in federal court where Florida, along with Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and multiple conservative groups, will join in challenges to a new Biden administration rule requiring public school districts nationwide to allow students to use restroom facilities aligning with their gender identity.

“Florida is suing the Biden Administration over its unlawful Title IX changes,” DeSantis posted on X. “Biden is abusing his constitutional authority to push an ideological agenda that harms women and girls and conflicts with the truth. We will not comply, and we will fight back against Biden’s harmful agenda.”

The move comes as the DeSantis administration cuts off access to a un-enroll more than 22,000 Florida children from KidCare, the state’s health insurance program facilitating Medicaid’s children’s health insurance program, as reported by Florida Politics. The move came despite the Biden administration saying the state could not drop children from the program.

Democratic federal lawmakers representing Florida have called for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to intervene, noting Florida is the only state on the union trying to drop kids from Medicaid coverage.

“While the Florida Legislature voted to expand Florida KidCare eligibility to children with family incomes up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), we urge you not to approve the State’s requested punitive premium structure,” reads a letter to CMS led by Florida Rep. Kathy Castor and signed by every Democrat representing the state in Congress.

“Florida’s costly barrier to coverage runs counter to Congressional intent. Congress clearly intended that 12-month continuous eligibility be effectuated without any barriers or roadblocks so that children would receive care and coverage under CHIP.”

But DeSantis has worked to stay in good graces of Donald Trump, the man who once called him “DeSanctimonious” and who has vowed to gut transgender rights in elected President again. DeSantis met with Trump this weekend and promised to raise money and work to get him elected, according to The Washington Post.

Meanwhile, the state is preparing on Wednesday to enforce a ban on nearly all abortions in the state, after the Florida Supreme Court upheld a six-week abortion ban.

30 Years of Out100Out / Advocate Magazine - Jonathan Groff & Wayne Brady

From our Sponsors

Most Popular

Latest Stories

Jacob Ogles