Republican legislators in Kansas approved a plan early Friday to end gender-affirming care for transgender youth, capping a week of intensifying efforts to roll back LGBTQ rights like other states with GOP-controlled legislatures.
The Kansas House voted 70-52 to pass a bill requiring the state's medical board to revoke the licenses of doctors who provide gender-affirming care to minors, even though many professionals who deal with transgender youth see such care as vital to preserving their mental health and preventing suicides. The Senate then voted 23-12 to approve the measure, sending it to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.
"This one was a winner because they found it palatable to strip rights from a population that was small and did not affect most of them," she said in an email Thursday night."They delude themselves with groupthink so that they can pretend this isn't about hate but about protection, but we know the truth."
The care falling under the bill would include puberty-blocking drugs and hormone therapy. While the bill would not keep transgender youth from receiving counseling or psychiatric therapy, the measure applies to acts performed or"causing" acts"to affirm the child's perception of the child's sex" if it differs from gender assigned at birth.
Republicans on Tuesday approved a broad bathroom bill that would prevent transgender people from changing the gender on their driver's licenses. On Wednesday they overrode Kelly's veto of a bill banning transgender female athletes from girls' and women's sports. "Gender-affirming medicine is lifesaving," Jordan Smith, a Kansas City-area resident who identifies as gender fluid and is the Kansas chapter leader for Parasol Patro, a group advocating for LGBTQ youth, said after a transgender-rights rally at the Statehouse last week.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Kansas approves bill to end gender-affirming care for minorsRepublican legislators in Kansas have approved a proposal to end gender-affirming care for transgender youth
Read more »
Kansas approves bill to end gender-affirming care for minorsRepublican legislators in Kansas have approved a proposal to end gender-affirming care for transgender youth
Read more »
Kansas passes bill to end gender-affirming care for minorsRepublican lawmakers in Kansas approved a plan early Friday to end gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
Read more »
Kansas City police target minority communities with illegal ticket quotas, lawsuit saysA 21-year veteran of the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department filed a lawsuit last month against the agency, alleging that he was forced to meet illegal ticket quotas and target minority communities.
Read more »
Kansas passes transgender bathroom bill; Arkansas approves own version of legislationBoth bills are among measures aimed at rolling back LGBTQ rights pursued by Republicans this year across the country. The Kansas bill focuses on bathrooms, locker rooms, and other facilities.
Read more »
Kansas City police target minority communities with illegal ticket quotas, lawsuit saysA 21-year veteran of the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department filed a lawsuit last month against the agency, alleging that he was forced to meet illegal ticket quotas and target minority communities.
Read more »