Staff Reports
A federal judge appointed by Donald Trump has sent a clear message to Florida’s prison system that political correctness should take a backseat to common sense. U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor has officially green-lighted the Sunshine State’s initiative to ban the bulk of inmates from receiving hormone treatments for gender dysphoria. This ruling puts the brakes on the trend of prisoners demanding to dress as the opposite sex and pop themselves full of cross-sex hormones.
The case began when a male inmate named Reiyn Keohane, who also has a talent for attempted murder, claimed his Eighth Amendment rights were being trampled by the state. While some might think this sounds suspiciously like a concocted excuse, the judge determined that merely wearing a sundress does not qualify as medically necessary care. After all, a preference for frocks isn’t quite the same as requiring legitimate medical treatment.
Trump-appointed judge let’s Florida’s ban on sex changes for inmates stand @ https://t.co/ZaY9Pa7K5S. … Common Sense
— Joseph Twohig (@JosephTwohig) January 2, 2025
In his wise ruling, Judge Winsor called out the fact that some inmates have complained about feeling suicidal due to the ban on women’s clothing. However, he argued that being denied access to women’s apparel is not necessarily a death sentence, stating that Keohane failed to demonstrate that having access to a wardrobe would mitigate any risk. Instead, the judge pointed out that inmates have a perfectly suitable alternative available: therapy.
Florida’s Department of Corrections has issued new guidelines recommending traditional psychotherapy over immediate access to fancy hormone treatments. This is a fundamentally smart approach, focusing on addressing underlying mental health issues rather than playing fashion consultant for inmates. Hormone treatment is still an option, but only on rare occasions when deemed absolutely necessary, and only at the expense of the inmates themselves—not with taxpayer dollars.
Progressive groups like the American Civil Liberties Union are predictably up in arms, calling the guidelines “cruel” and “dehumanizing.” However, it appears they’ve overlooked the fact that mental care is being prioritized in these facilities. Rather than receiving endless hormone treatments, Florida is paving the way for a more balanced approach to inmate health. Judge Winsor’s decision is a solid testament to the ongoing influence of Trump’s judicial legacy, with conservative judges ensuring that judicial sanity prevails.
