TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida legislature is in session with several bills on the table that would impact the state's LGBTQ+ community and transgender rights.
On Monday, a group rallied in Tallahassee pushing back on the proposed legislation. The gathering was spearheaded by the activist group Equality Florida.
"We are here to resist their transphobic slate of hate legislation," Equality Florida Press Secretary Brandon Wolf said. "Lawmakers have introduced a transphobic slate of hate legislation fueled by a sinister belief that transgender people are not real and that the levers of government should be weaponized in order to erase them."
The objectives of the 11 bills range from prohibiting the use of preferred pronouns in school to fining businesses for allowing children at drag performances.
There are also bills threatening custody for parents who get treatment for their trans kids and one that would make it illegal for doctors to provide those treatments.
Paula Pifer is the mother to a transwoman and said, "Please let doctors guide us through these challenges as we help our transgender children grow and live their best lives."
Equality Florida and the protesters argue these bills serve to build Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' "right-wing resume" for a heavily speculated presidential run.
"We are facing a governor that wants to commit genocide on trans people," State Rep. Anna V. Eskamani said.
However, DeSantis defends these bills, saying minors seeking to transition should instead be in therapy.
"The way to deal with that is to provide any counseling that's needed, not hack off their body parts. That's not the solution, that's mutilation," DeSantis said.
Other Florida Republicans who back this legislation say they believe these bills would protect children from what they call harmful procedures and confusing concepts.
They argue things like drag performances and discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity push an agenda that sexualizes young kids.