After a calm week off for legislative Spring Break, our elected officials have come back in full force. Tomorrow, Wednesday, March 23 at 10:30 am, the Senate Seniors, Families, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee, will hear SB 843 (Moon R-29).
This egregious bill seeks to ban transgender youth from accessing life-saving affirming health care by punishing parents and providers who help their child receive it. This bill displays a fundamental lack of understanding of who transgender children are, and additionally criminalizes medical care best practices backed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other leading medical authorities. Medical professionals, not politicians, should decide what medical care is in the best interest of a patient in accordance with the current medical best practices.
This bill is scheduled to be heard in the same hearing as SB 1178 (White R-32), a bill aiming to criminalize the manufacturing and distribution of common gynecological medications. Common to both bills being heard, Missouri is falling behind best-practice medical guidance. And it’s time for Missouri to bring its health care policies in line with medical experts.
Brave youth and families have joined us in the Capitol for the past month to share their stories in front of elected officials. Our collective stories have sent a powerful and vibrant message to our elected leaders that trans kids deserve to be valued and have the same opportunities to thrive as all other children in this state.
The fight isn’t over. We can’t reiterate enough that all our voices matter.
Take action with us:
- Sign our petition and MAKE CALLS!
- Join us on Wednesday, March 23 at 10:30 am in the Capitol to testify in person. To join fill out this form.
- Donate to PROMO to help us support those testifying in-person
Bills like this are incredibly dangerous, because they are about all of us — whether LGBTQ people should be treated fairly across all areas of life—or whether they can be unfairly fired, kicked out of a restaurant, denied an apartment, or denied the health care they need, just because of who they are.
Legislators see PROMO in the Capitol every day, demonstrating the vigilance, persistence, and expertise required to make certain Missouri laws protect and enhance the lives of all LGBTQ Missourians. Continue supporting us in this work!
In Equality,
Shira Berkowitz, Sr. Director Public Policy and Advocacy
