Democrats want to block a law that would ban sex change operations for children in Florida

Meanwhile, Jon Harris Maurer, a policy director with Equality Florida, an LGBTQ activist group, described Sabatini’s bill and its Senate version as “a clear attack on some of our state’s most vulnerable youth.” Children with gender identity issues are certainly vulnerable, but not in the way Harris suggests.

Florida State Rep. Anthony Sabatini (R-Lakeland) was appalled to learn that in an article published on Thursday, NBC News described a series of bills that he and his colleagues recently filed as “anti-gay.”

“They are not anti-gay at all. In fact, none of these bills have anything to do with gay and lesbian issues,” Sabatini told TheBlaze in a phone interview on Friday.

Sabatini said he designed “The Vulnerable Child Protection Act” to keep children safe and prevent the Texas custody battle over a 7-year-old boy (whose mother claims is a transgender girl) from playing out in Florida. His bill prohibits doctors from performing “surgeries that sterilize, including castration, vasectomy, hysterectomy, oophorectomy, metoidioplasty, orchiectomy, penectomy, phalloplasty, and vaginoplasty” on minors, as well as injecting them with puberty-blockers.

Under Sabatini’s law, any medical professional who performs these procedures on a minor could be charged with a felony.

Democrats and activists oppose the bill

At least two Florida Democratic lawmakers oppose the “Vulnerable Child Protection Act.”

Democratic State Rep. Carlos G. Smith of Central Florida said Sabatini’s bill and others amounted to being “kicked in the gut” by his colleagues. “I am so utterly offended and disappointed,” he said on Twitter.

It's hard to believe that this is a legislature where three LGBTQ members are proudly and openly serving, but it is. THIS is what it feels like to be kicked in the gut by your colleagues. I am so utterly offended and disappointed.https://t.co/BUboY2vJUP

— Rep. Carlos G Smith (@CarlosGSmith) January 16, 2020

Meanwhile, Jon Harris Maurer, a policy director with Equality Florida, an LGBTQ activist group, described Sabatini’s bill and its Senate version as “a clear attack on some of our state’s most vulnerable youth.” Children with gender identity issues are certainly vulnerable, but not in the way Harris suggests.

MORE: https://www.theblaze.com/news/democrats_block_anti_castration_florida