The state of Florida has initiated a lawsuit against several leading medical organizations, including the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), the Endocrine Society, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The lawsuit, filed by Republican Attorney General James Uthmeier, alleges that these organizations have violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act by promoting what the state claims are discredited clinical guidelines as evidence-based standards of care to increase membership.

The lawsuit primarily references a 2024 report by the National Health Service authored by Hilary Cass, which inaccurately asserted that there is 'no good evidence' supporting gender-affirming care. This claim has been widely criticized for disregarding over 100 studies that demonstrate the positive impact of such care, relying instead on outdated metrics and theories.

Numerous reputable medical associations, including the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the World Health Organization, affirm that gender-affirming care is evidence-based and essential for both adults and minors. Research indicates that transgender youth experience significant reductions in depression and anxiety when they undergo social transition and receive appropriate treatment for gender dysphoria. Longitudinal studies consistently show that gender-affirming care enhances the quality of life for transgender individuals, with no peer-reviewed studies indicating negative outcomes from gender transition.

The lawsuit also claims that the identification of transgender youth was rare a decade ago and that diagnoses of gender dysphoria have surged in recent years, attributing this increase to factors such as social media and a decline in face-to-face interactions. This narrative echoes the discredited 'Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria' hypothesis, which posits that being transgender is a trend rather than a legitimate identity. This theory is based on a single poster abstract from 2017, which has been criticized for its lack of scientific rigor.

A 2022 study published in Pediatrics found that the percentage of adolescents identifying as transgender actually decreased from 2.4% in 2017 to 1.6% in 2019, contradicting the notion of a social contagion. Researchers concluded that the Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria hypothesis should not be used to limit access to gender-affirming medical care.

Additionally, the lawsuit claims that feelings of gender dysphoria typically 'disappear' after puberty. However, a 2021 survey of 28,000 transgender adults in the U.S. revealed that only 8% had ever detransitioned, with the majority citing social stigma as a significant factor. A 2023 study published in the National Library of Medicine found that over 82.5% of individuals who detransitioned did so due to external pressures rather than a change in their gender identity.