Ladapo sued over transgender healthcare ban, 23 healthcare organizations show their support for lawsuit

A bad week for the rogue Florida State Surgeon General amid his study editing scandal gets worse

Far-right Florida State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo has been sued by an anonymous mother on behalf of her minor daughter over his anti-trans healthcare ban. When ABC News reported on this lawsuit last month, they noted that in response to a media request the Florida Department of Health “responded with a gif of Gov. Ron DeSantis that stated "If you want to waste your time on a stunt, that's fine. But I'm not wasting my time on your stunt.""

A 48-page brief of amici curiae was submitted on behalf of the Jane and Susan Doe case and features support from the following state and national health organizations:

• the American Academy of Pediatrics

• the Academic Pediatric Association

• the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

• the American Academy of Family Physicians

• the American Academy of Nursing

• the American Association of Physicians for Human Rights, Inc.

• Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality

• the American College of Obstetrics

• the American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians

• the American College of Physicians

• the American Medical Association

• the American Pediatric Society

• the Association of American Medical Colleges

• Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs, Inc.

• the Endocrine Society

• the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics

• the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners

• the Pediatric Endocrine Society

• the Societies for Pediatric Urology

• the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine

• the Society for Pediatric Research

• the Society of Pediatric Nurses

• the World Professional Association for Transgender Health

Of note, the amici’s conclusion features a note that the “material supporting the healthcare ban is factually inaccurate and ignores the recommendations of the medical community and argues that the ban “would irreparably harm many adolescents with gender dysphoria by denying them the treatment they need”.

This is not the first time this week we have discussed accusations against Ladapo for making health recommendations against medical advice. He is embroiled in a scandal over his editing of a vaccine study to show risk to men under age 40 that did not exist that has been picked up by Politico, and Respectful Insolence (aka “Dark Gorski”). Dr. David Gorski of Science-Based Medicine has called out the connections and shared tactics between the anti-vax and anti-trans movements previously.

Ladapo and co use flawed data because facts don’t matter in the the GQP. They will be picked up by lawmakers happy to profit politically off policies catering to manufactured populist hate and Ladapo, a member of DeSantis’s Florida public health “integrity” committee does not care if his constituents and fellow healthcare workers become victims of these policies. The Florida House Health and Human Services has decided “along party lines” to retaliate to two groups who have come out in support of transgender youth healthcare access in the state - the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FCAAP) and the Florida Psychiatric Society - by subpoenaing them.

Ladapo’s involvement with America’s Frontline Doctors rears its ugly head here. The group was made in a partnership with the far-right Christofacist dark money and media hub known as the Council for National Policy. His anti-trans, anti-abortion, and anti-vax stances are all in line with the politics of the GOP dictated by CNP dark money. AFLDS sponsored the Conservative Political Action Conference alongside CNP-tied conservative parent astroturf group Moms For Liberty, a favorite of DeSantis’s. Moms For Liberty has weaponized LGBTQ+ hate and radicalized moms to drive the conservative Christofascist agenda into schools as DeSantis makes complementarily extreme school policy. The bullying methods of the Moms are no better than hate opportunist Chaya Raichik of Libs of TikTok, as revealed in a Vice piece by David Gilbert this week.

Kids in Florida are suffering as a result of the petty politics of adults who ought to know better and a number of issues such as youth LGBTQ+ rights, Covid safety precautions, and guns in schools. Ladapo must me made an example for the nation that medical professionals cannot so brazenly misuse their credentials for political gain and held accountable. The lying bullies cannot win. If they are allowed to, what are we teaching the children? And for whose gain?

For Christ’s sake, Florida is so out of hand that Disney World is suing DeSantis. A reminder to everyone that GOP disinformation outlet Fox News was concerned with Minnie Mouse wearing pants last year and MAGA is ripping itself apart.