Ron DeSantis: ‘It Is Not Healthcare to Cut off the Private Parts of a Child’

“It is not healthcare to cut off the private parts of a child – that is mutilation. We are standing up against that,” DeSantis said on Sunday, sharing a clip from his Friday press conference as he marked the final day of the legislative session and touted the state lawmakers’ accomplishments.

“When you talk to people — and I know like people in your industry will dress it up with a euphemism and they’ll say it’s health care to cut off the private parts of a 14 or 15 year old — that is not health care. That is mutilation,” DeSantis said.

“When we’re standing up against that,” DeSantis said before he was interrupted by applause before continuing. “When we’re standing up against that, we’re protecting these kids.”

The governor listed examples of individuals who went through the transition as minors and now say it is the “biggest regret of their life.”

“They feel like that they were manipulated. I understand there’s some physicians that are very ideological about it, but the fact is people go through a lot when they’re teenagers. You grow out of it most of the time in these situations,” he said, noting that 80 to 90 percent “resolves by the time you get there.”

“Sweden, these European countries that went down this road have done a big U-turn. They said this is not good, medical practice and so they don’t do it anymore,” he continued, explaining that this would not have even been controversial even ten years ago.