Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is asking state universities for the number and ages of their students who have sought or received treatment for gender dysphoria, including sex reassignment surgery and hormone prescriptions, according to a published survey. on Wednesday.
The reason he is conducting the survey was not entirely clear. DeSantis has been criticized by LGBTQ advocates for policies deemed discriminatory, including banning instruction on sexual and gender identity in early grades and making it easier for parents to check out related books in public schools.
“We may see funding cuts for universities to treat students with this condition, and I think a complete elimination of services is certainly on the table,” House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell said.
The poll was released the same day college presidents voted to support DeSantis’s anti-woke agenda and reject «the progressive agenda of indoctrination of higher education» and pledge to «eliminate all wake positions and ideologies for the February 1, 2023,” according to a Department of Education press release.
The survey is being sent to the presidents of the university’s board of trustees by DeSantis budget director Chris Spencer.
“Our office has learned that several state universities provide services for people suffering from gender dysphoria,” Spencer wrote. «On behalf of the Governor, I hereby request that you respond to the attached inquiries related to such services.»
The governor’s office did not respond to emails or a phone call seeking information about the purpose of the survey, which is due to be completed by February 10. Spencer told the presidents that the survey must be completed as part of their obligation to govern institutional resources and protect the public interest.
Driskell said DeSantis is trying to remake the state’s universities «in his own image» in terms of what can be taught and how students can be treated.
“I have never seen anything like this. It’s a really scary place that we find ourselves in Florida history,» Driskell said. «What can happen is a brain drain where we have students from Florida who don’t want to stay here and attend school at our public colleges and universities.»
The survey is similar to one the governor is forcing state universities to complete regarding spending on diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and critical race theory.
The current memo asks universities to «provide the number of encounters for sex reassignment treatment or where such treatment was requested,» as well as data on students referred to other facilities. It says to protect the identity of students when completing the information.
The survey requires a breakdown by age, regardless of whether the student is 18 or older, of individuals who were prescribed hormones or hormone antagonists or who underwent medical procedures such as mastectomies, breast augmentation, or excision and reconstruction of genitals.