TAMPA, Fla. — Gender-affirming care is a topic that has made recent headlines in Florida after a federal judge struck down a state law prohibiting the treatment for minors, and restricting it for adults.

What You Need To Know

  • Earlier this month, a federal judge struck down a Florida law that prohibited gender-affirming care for minors, and restricted the treatment for adults

  • A Tampa doctor says she is sharing her experience with gender-affirming care to emphasize the significance it may have on someone's life
  • Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the law in 2023

It’s medical care that one local pediatrician is standing up for. She asked that Spectrum News to identify her only as Dr. Robin out of concern for her family's privacy.

Inside her medical office, Robin reflected on her role as a general pediatrician, and as the parent of a transgender child.

"It's really gratifying for me when I'm able to help them stay happy and get to where they need to be," she said.

She sees dozens of patients daily, from checkups to sick visits and everything in between. But Robin said all of them have a unique impact on her.

"In pediatrics, God throws me things that I'm supposed to take care of and advocate for," she said.

She said it’s a place of trust, between doctor and patient, and one that is also judgment free.

"When you do see a child that suddenly says they have gender dysphoria, that's not a child that you're going to send immediately and prescribe hormones for them," Robin said. "That's a child that you're going to address what other mental health issues are going on. You're going to send them to a psychologist and a psychiatrist. You're going to have them evaluated at a specialty clinic and by an endocrinologist, just to make sure the parents and the patient know all of their options, and before you make any big decisions."

Robin said she understands the situation all too well: Her own daughter, Bree, went through gender-affirming care.

"Over COVID, (she) had some mental health challenges, as most kids did," Robin said of her daughter. "And probably about, almost three years ago now, (she) revealed that she wanted to be a girl."

The revelation, Robin said, was eye opening for both her and her husband. But it was one that, as a parent, she was willing to understand and help her daughter with.

"They need to know they're loved unconditionally, and the only thing that's important in the whole world is for my child to be happy," Robin said. "That's what I think people who don't understand this whole situation, it's hard for them to humanize it.”

Robin said helping her own daughter make a transition has opened her eyes to the impact gender-affirming treatment can have on someone.

"I think the biggest thing is access to mental health care for these kiddos, so that when they do find that they have gender dysphoria, they have someone to talk to," she said.

And there is one takeaway Robin would like others to understand: "They're just human beings that are trying to be happy and live their lives and true to themselves."