Last week, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signed two bills into law aimed at what he said will “protect the integrity of female sports and Missouri children from potentially harmful experimental surgeries and treatment.” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed similar legislation prior to Missouri’s ban. The Missouri bills prohibit biologically male student-athletes from participating in sports “designated for biological females” and establish the Missouri Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act. The SAFE Act now prohibits gender transition surgeries as well as the prescription of drugs or hormones for transitioning minors.
“We, along with the vast majority of the General Assembly, agree that women and girls deserve fair sports competition without intrusion from biological men,” Parson said. “Women and girls deserve and have fought for an equal opportunity to succeed, and with this legislation today, we stand up to the nonsense and stand with them as they take back their sport competitions. In Missouri, we support real fairness, not injustice disguised as social righteousness.”
From Twitter
"This conservative Republican, who describes himself as “anti-woke as you can get,” warns Ohio lawmakers that a bill to ban gender-affirming care for teenagers is appalling. He said he learned the complexities of the issue from raising a transgender son. https://twitter.com/i/status/1666100484002676738"
According to the governor’s office, the SAFE Act also bars Missouri’s Medicaid network from funding cross-sex hormones, gender transition surgery and puberty-blocking drugs used to assist in a gender transition. Health services provided to incarcerated individuals will not include any elective transition surgeries as well.
“We support everyone’s right to his or her own pursuit of happiness; however, we must protect children from making life-altering decisions that they could come to regret in adulthood once they have physically and emotionally matured,” added Parson. “ … These decisions have permanent consequences for life and should not be made by impressionable children who may be in crisis or influenced by the political persuasions of others.”
The legislation comes amid heated controversy over gender-affirming care. Advocates of the trans community have pointed to research from the American Academy of Pediatrics recommending “comprehensive gender-affirming and developmentally appropriate health care” for young people struggling with their gender identity.
In addition to controversy surrounding the science behind gender-based treatments, legal challenges continue to be expected as more states adopt similar laws. The new Texas law has already raised the alarm at organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal and the Transgender Law Center.
From Twitter
CNN @CNN ·Jun 2"Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has signed into law a ban on gender-affirming care for most minors in the state, making Texas the largest state in the US to place restrictions on transgender youth’s access to critical care https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/02/politics/texas-gender-affirming-care-ban-minors/index.html"
“Transgender youth in Texas deserve the support and care necessary to give them the same chance to thrive as their peers. Medically necessary health care is a critical part of helping transgender adolescents succeed in school, establish healthy relationships with their friends and family, and live authentically as themselves. We will defend the rights of transgender youth in court, just as we have done in other states engaging in this anti-science and discriminatory fear-mongering,” reads a joint statement from the ACLU with other advocates.