Missouri lawmakers pass bans on gender-affirming care, trans athletes in women’s sports

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The Republican-controlled Missouri House on Wednesday passed a pair of bills that would ban gender-affirming care for minors and prohibit transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports.

The two pieces of legislation, part of a nationwide push to regulate the lives of transgender people, are now headed to Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s desk. Parson, a Republican, celebrated both bills on Wednesday, signaling on Twitter that he plans to sign them.

“We appreciate the General Assembly taking action today to pass protections for minors and women’s sports,” the tweet said. “We look forward to this legislation arriving to our Office soon.”

The first bill, which passed 108-50, would ban all “gender transition procedures” for people under 18. It would allow minors to continue hormone therapy or puberty blockers if they were already prescribed them. The restrictions on hormone therapy and puberty blockers expire in 2027. The ban on gender-affirming surgeries does not expire.

The other bill, which passed 109-49, would ban transgender girls and women from competing in women’s sports, including at private schools and colleges. The legislation also expires in 2027.

The bills have stoked fear and raised the alarm among transgender Missourians, prompting some to consider leaving the state.

Heidi Schultz, a 44-year-old transgender woman from Kansas City, reached by phone Wednesday, said both pieces of legislation were “needlessly cruel.”

“Now that they’re trying to pass all these laws, it’s even more tortuous than when I was a kid,” Schultz said. “Kids know there’s an option. They know what the path forward is. For adults to keep that from them, to me, that’s the worst torture possible.”

Republicans on Wednesday touted familiar talking points about protecting kids during Wednesday’s debate.

“This legislation, should it become law, will protect children from unnecessary and harmful sex change drugs and surgeries,” said state Rep. Brad Hudson, a Cape Fair Republican, said Wednesday.

Missouri Democrats, LGBTQ advocates and doctors have lambasted the legislation, saying the bills were an attack on the transgender community. The legislation comes as Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is also attempting to effectively ban transgender care for both children and adults through an emergency rule. The rules are on hold until for at least two months. A hearing is scheduled for July in St. Louis County Circuit Court.

State Rep. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Kansas City Democrat, said Wednesday that the legislation would drive Missourians out of the state.

“This is a bit of a farewell speech today to some of the families that we’ve come to know and respect,” she said, saying that there were some lawmakers who would do anything in their power to protect transgender Missourians.

Missouri Republicans have argued that minors should not be able to undergo gender-affirming care until they turn 18. Republicans have framed the sports ban as an issue of fairness to ensure athletes assigned female at birth are not at a physical disadvantage. However, only a small number of transgender student athletes compete in Missouri.

Since 2016, 13 transgender students have applied to compete on a team that matches the gender with which they identify. Of those 13 students, eight were currently in the age range to compete in 6th through 12th grade sports, a spokesperson for the Missouri State High School Activities Association told The Star in February.

Several Republicans have refused to recognize the existence of trans people.

“Biological males are bigger, they are stronger, they are faster,” state Rep. Jamie Burger, a Benton Republican, said on the floor. “The majority of women simply cannot compete.”

Three Republicans, House Majority Leader Jonathan Patterson from Lee’s Summit who is also a doctor, state Rep. Chris Sander from Lone Jack and state Rep. Gary Bonacker from House Springs voted against the gender-affirming care ban. Sander and Bonacker also voted against the trans sports ban.

Sander, who is openly gay, raised his hand to speak on both bills but was not called on.

In a rare move, Sander attended a press conference hosted by House Democrats after the vote to criticize Republican leadership for not giving him a chance to speak on the bills.

When asked if he was going to switch parties, Sander said it was a possibility. He also floated serving as an independent.

“I’m not questioning me being a gay Republican. I’m questioning if I’m a Republican,” Sander said.

The bills come as transgender Kansas Citians are straddling two states where Republicans are pushing to regulate their lives. In Kansas, a new law requiring trans people to use restrooms and other public accommodations based on their sex at birth will go into effect in July.

Doctors who provide gender-affirming care have also told The Star that they won’t be able to provide ethical, evidence-based care if Missouri lawmakers ban transgender health care.

“This care cannot ethically be provided in the state of Missouri with these mandates,” said Kris Humphreys, a doctor who provides gender-affirming care for adults in the Kansas City area.

This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Kris Humphreys’ name.