Missouri to Ban Gender Affirming Health Care, Restrict Sports Play for Trans Minors

Bills that will ban transgender minors from accessing gender-affirming health care and that will block transgender girls and women from participating in female sports headed to the Missouri governor's desk Wednesday afternoon.

State lawmakers in the Republican-majority legislature passed both measures on Wednesday, after Gov. Mike Parson said he would keep lawmakers past the end of their session if they did not advance the care ban, the Associated Press reported.

"All children, regardless of their gender or orientation, are invaluable and should not be subjected to potentially irreversible surgeries and treatments prior to adulthood," Parson said in a statement posted on Twitter after the two bills advanced to his desk.

"The presence of biological males in women’s sports limits fair competition for hard-working female athletes," the statement continued. "Women and girls fought hard for the equal rights they enjoy today, and they should not be deprived of athletic opportunity due to biological advantages of the opposite sex."

Parson is expected to sign both into law, though it was not immediately clear on Wednesday afternoon when exactly he will.

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

Through the health care bill, minors will not be able to obtain hormones or puberty blockers, or undergo gender-affirming surgery beginning on Aug. 28.

As part of the bills, Medicaid will also not cover costs of gender-affirming care and prisoners and inmates will not be able to undergo the surgery in Missouri, according to the AP.

Under the other measure, transgender girls and women will not be able to participate in female sports in both private and public schools, from kindergarten through college, the outlet reported.

On the House floor Wednesday, Republican Rep. Brad Hudson told fellow lawmakers, “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 the AP, Democrats wept during debate on the two measures.

“To deny these children care is to deny them their very existence,” Democratic Rep. Joe Adams said.

Both bills are set to expire in 2027, if signed into law.