Missouri becomes latest state to BAN child sex changes, biological men competing in women's sports

The state of Missouri passed two bills on Wednesday which ban child sex changes and biological men competing in women's sports, making it the 16th state to enact laws that safeguard women and children.

One bill passed by the Missouri Republican-controlled House bans trans-identified minors from having access to puberty blockers, hormones, and sex change surgery. The bill also blocks prisoners and inmates from receiving surgical sex changes, and also prevents Medicaid from covering the cost of these gender-affirming surgeries in the entire state, ABC reports.



Another bill that was passed prevents biological male student-athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports, a law that will be enforced in both public and private schools from kindergarten to university. If schools allow trans-identified athletes to compete against the opposite sex, the school will lose federal funding.

The bills, which will expire in 2027 following an agreement made between Senate Republicans and Democrats, will now make their way to Republican Gov. Mike Parson's desk, who is expected to sign.

The law will take effect on Aug. 28.

The ACLU of Missouri slammed the passed legislation and said the two bills are a "weaponization of the government."

However, Republican Rep. Brad Hudson said on the House floor on Wednesday, "When you have kids being surgically and or chemically altered for life for no good reason, yes, it's time for the government to get involved."

According to ABC News, Kansas City Council members convened during a meeting on Wednesday and proposed a resolution that will make Kansas City a "sanctuary city" for people both seeking or providing gender-affirming care.
 

The proposed resolution says the city wouldn't enforce laws that prevent people from that wish to seek, provide, or help someone wanting gender-affirming care. There would be no prosecution or fines for any person or organization, the outlet reports.

"It would minimize the legal violence toward trans people in accessing gender-affirming care," a trans-identified resident named Merrique Jenso told the council committee.

More than twenty bills aimed at criminalizing child sex changes were introduced at the beginning of the 2023 state legislative sessions. Republican state lawmakers are seeking to ban so-called gender-affirming care for youth due to the lack of quality evidence to support it, the invasive and irreversible nature of the interventions, and the rising rates of detransition and regret. During this year's legislative session, so far 16 states have enacted laws that ban gender-affirming care for minors.