ACLU sues to block Missouri rule on transgender health care

This is the door that opens for y'all. Not me. For y'all. It just made me realize that I'm not alone and that I don't have to go through this one. This is what success looks looks like. This is what community looks like. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. What does it mean to be transgender for a prom queen? It means leaving the football team to become the woman she's always wanted to be for a high school soccer player. It means fighting to play the game she loves. And for hundreds of others, it means striving to find peace and safety in a world that's not always accepting. MJ Rodriguez has just made history becoming the first transgender actress to win a golden globe for her role on pose. A show that's broken barriers by portraying storylines with trans characters played by trans actors. That recognition is a long time coming for the transgender community. Rodriguez and her peers bring visibility and awareness nationwide. These two high school students are doing the same thing in their communities. So I played football for about like six years, 6-8. And I remember, you know, during practices, I'd stare at the cheerleaders because I wanted to be with them. Evan bile. Asuka Nia was crowned Olympia High School's first transgender homecoming queen in the fall of 2021 in florida. She started transitioning just a few months before and when her classmates voted to give her the crown and Sash, it meant everything. And so did having a supportive date by her side. It just made me feel like I was actually I actually belong, not just like a joke because I was one of my fears. I was like in bed one night and just like what if they're just doing this to laugh at me. He made me feel just like any other girl. I was talking to a person that's on prom committee and they said that you won prom queen And I was just like, are you being serious in 2018 at homestead high school in Wisconsin. Then jr Nikko Nelson was crowned Prom Queen. She transitioned in junior high and said that she had her family and best friends support something that not all trans teens are fortunate enough to have. I was a boy when I met her and then when I started transitioning, she, I didn't think of me differently. People love makeup. Like love her and I'm like glad people can see her as the way I see her. I didn't win prom queen for being a transgender girl. I went prom queen for being Nico nelson. These young women have found support in their communities, but that's not always the case for many others across the country who face discrimination and violence Around the country. There's been an epidemic of murder of trans people. In fact, this year is the highest year, 48 murders that we've been able to count this year since we've been recording trans murders. The human rights campaign began keeping track in 2013 Since then at least 250 transgender or gender nonconforming people have been killed, The majority being women of Colour. One was Marquesa Lawrence. She was shot and killed in Greenville South Carolina on November 4, 2021. I just wish people stop being so heartless, care more love more understand, we love our family and she was a big part of it. Another was bee, love slater who was murdered on september 4th 2019 and Clewiston florida. She was such a kind heart and for someone that young and so kind spirited to be taken away so early is very devastating to anyone transgender day of remembrance honors their memory and the other victims of violence. But activists say the true number is much higher than what we know they're very common. And the reason that they're not seen in the headlines is that trans people often go unnoticed. Their stories are not heard. The story that often gets attention. The effort to ban transgender students from playing sports. I think it sends a really dangerous message to trans Children. I think the message that is being sent right now is that they are not worth protecting and that and that they're somehow less than or wrong states are introducing legislation to ban transgender athletes from competing as young as elementary school students. We believe in the state of florida of protecting the fairness and the integrity of women's athletics florida is one of several states that have passed laws, supporters say it's about fairness. But opponents say these bills do the opposite. The biggest problem with this issue is that you're underestimating how how good girls are at sports. Like that is. The worst part about saying it's unfair is you're telling girls they're already weaker. Please don't deny other transgender girls the opportunity to have these experiences and ability to be on a team. Just having fun and being active and learning about sportsmanship. Everybody should be able to participate regardless of their gender identity. The Justice Department, the Human rights Campaign and the w have all challenged these bands in court on behalf of transgender teens who may have been sidelined. Many of the lawsuits are still pending as these lawsuits go forward. Members of the trans community are undeterred using their voices to fight for acceptance by having that flag being up where it is. It shows that we're not alone, that there is folks that support us that support our friends and family that support our community. We're just people right. We are people like everyone else and we want to feel safe and feel inclusion in our communities. Just know that there are people out there like me who love you and accept you for who you are and you will be forever loved by everybody out there. Mm hmm. Mm hmm

The Missouri ACLU on Monday sued to block new state restrictions on both adults and children seeking gender-affirming health care, which are set to kick in Thursday.ACLU, Lambda Legal and Bryan Cave Leighton LLP attorneys representing transgender Missourians and health care providers asked a St. Louis County judge to stop the first-of-its-kind rule from taking effect.Related video above: What does it mean to be a transgender woman in America?They argue that Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey has no authority to use a state consumer-protection law to regulate gender-affirming care through emergency rule-making.The rule is "a baseless and discriminatory attempt to limit the healthcare options for transgender individuals, who already face several barriers accessing necessary and life-saving medical care," said Dr. Samuel Tochtrop of plaintiff Southampton Community Healthcare, in a statement.Before gender-affirming medical treatments can be provided by physicians, the regulation requires people to have experienced an "intense pattern" of documented gender dysphoria for three years and to have received at least 15 hourly sessions with a therapist over at least 18 months. Patients also would first have to be screened for autism and "social media addiction," and any psychiatric symptoms from mental health issues would have to be treated and resolved.Some individuals will be allowed to maintain their prescriptions while they promptly receive the required assessments."Our regulation enacts basic safeguards for interventions that an international medical consensus has determined to be experimental," Bailey said in a Monday statement. "Rather than ensure that patients are protected by common sense safeguards, these organizations are racing to court in an effort to continue their ideologically-based procedures masquerading as medicine."Bailey marketed the restrictions as a way to protect minors from what he describes as experimental treatments when he announced plans to create the rule in March. He applied limits to adults as well in the final rule."We have serious concerns about how children are being treated throughout the state. But we believe everyone is entitled to evidence-based medicine and adequate mental health care," Bailey spokeswoman Madeline Sieren said after the rule was filed on April 13.The rule is an unusual step by Missouri's attorney general, who has limited jurisdiction under state law. The office is responsible for defending state laws, handling felony criminal appeals, and prosecuting financial crimes and consumer fraud.The lawsuit alleges the rule "is an improper, extra-legislative overreach by an un-elected political appointee" seeking to use the state's consumer-protection law, which plaintiffs describe as "an act purposed on making sure that cars are sold with titles and that hardware stores abide by a warranty on a vacuum."If the rule takes effect, doctors who provide gender-affirming health care must first provide a lengthy list of potential negative side effects and information warning against those treatments.Health care providers will need to ensure "any psychiatric symptoms from existing mental health comorbidities of the patient have been treated and resolved" before providing gender-affirming treatments under the new rule. Physicians also must screen patients for social media addiction, autism and signs of "social contagion with respect to the patient's gender identity."The FDA approved puberty blockers 30 years ago to treat children with precocious puberty – a condition that causes sexual development to begin much earlier than usual. Sex hormones – synthetic forms of estrogen and testosterone — were approved decades ago to treat hormone disorders or as birth control pills.The FDA has not approved the medications specifically to treat gender-questioning youth. But they have been used for many years for that purpose "off label," a common and accepted practice for many medical conditions. Doctors who treat transgender patients say those decades of use are proof the treatments are not experimental.Critics have raised concerns about children changing their minds. Yet the evidence suggests detransitioning is not as common as opponents of transgender medical treatment for youth contend, though few studies exist and they have their weaknesses.—�Ĕ-Associated Press writer Heather Hollingsworth reported from Mission, Kansas.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. —

The Missouri ACLU on Monday sued to block new state restrictions on both adults and children seeking gender-affirming health care, which are set to kick in Thursday.

ACLU, Lambda Legal and Bryan Cave Leighton LLP attorneys representing transgender Missourians and health care providers asked a St. Louis County judge to stop the first-of-its-kind rule from taking effect.

Related video above: What does it mean to be a transgender woman in America?

They argue that Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey has no authority to use a state consumer-protection law to regulate gender-affirming care through emergency rule-making.

The rule is "a baseless and discriminatory attempt to limit the healthcare options for transgender individuals, who already face several barriers accessing necessary and life-saving medical care," said Dr. Samuel Tochtrop of plaintiff Southampton Community Healthcare, in a statement.

Before gender-affirming medical treatments can be provided by physicians, the regulation requires people to have experienced an "intense pattern" of documented gender dysphoria for three years and to have received at least 15 hourly sessions with a therapist over at least 18 months. Patients also would first have to be screened for autism and "social media addiction," and any psychiatric symptoms from mental health issues would have to be treated and resolved.

Some individuals will be allowed to maintain their prescriptions while they promptly receive the required assessments.

"Our regulation enacts basic safeguards for interventions that an international medical consensus has determined to be experimental," Bailey said in a Monday statement. "Rather than ensure that patients are protected by common sense safeguards, these organizations are racing to court in an effort to continue their ideologically-based procedures masquerading as medicine."

Bailey marketed the restrictions as a way to protect minors from what he describes as experimental treatments when he announced plans to create the rule in March. He applied limits to adults as well in the final rule.

"We have serious concerns about how children are being treated throughout the state. But we believe everyone is entitled to evidence-based medicine and adequate mental health care," Bailey spokeswoman Madeline Sieren said after the rule was filed on April 13.

The rule is an unusual step by Missouri's attorney general, who has limited jurisdiction under state law. The office is responsible for defending state laws, handling felony criminal appeals, and prosecuting financial crimes and consumer fraud.

The lawsuit alleges the rule "is an improper, extra-legislative overreach by an un-elected political appointee" seeking to use the state's consumer-protection law, which plaintiffs describe as "an act purposed on making sure that cars are sold with titles and that hardware stores abide by a warranty on a vacuum."

If the rule takes effect, doctors who provide gender-affirming health care must first provide a lengthy list of potential negative side effects and information warning against those treatments.

Health care providers will need to ensure "any psychiatric symptoms from existing mental health comorbidities of the patient have been treated and resolved" before providing gender-affirming treatments under the new rule. Physicians also must screen patients for social media addiction, autism and signs of "social contagion with respect to the patient's gender identity."

The FDA approved puberty blockers 30 years ago to treat children with precocious puberty – a condition that causes sexual development to begin much earlier than usual. Sex hormones – synthetic forms of estrogen and testosterone — were approved decades ago to treat hormone disorders or as birth control pills.

The FDA has not approved the medications specifically to treat gender-questioning youth. But they have been used for many years for that purpose "off label," a common and accepted practice for many medical conditions. Doctors who treat transgender patients say those decades of use are proof the treatments are not experimental.

Critics have raised concerns about children changing their minds. Yet the evidence suggests detransitioning is not as common as opponents of transgender medical treatment for youth contend, though few studies exist and they have their weaknesses.

—�Ĕ-

Associated Press writer Heather Hollingsworth reported from Mission, Kansas.

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