Protesters rally against gender-affirming care age restriction bill in Jefferson City

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - On Wednesday, LGBTQ advocates protested Missouri lawmakers supporting legislation restricting who can get gender-affirming care—or healthcare that aids in transitioning from one sex to another.

The bill sets 18 as the age that an individual can undergo gender-affirming care.

This bill is one of several bills in the Missouri legislature intended for the LGBTQ community.

“The ones that scare me the most are the ones that take away the bodily autonomy of people to choose what they want to do with their own bodies,” said Felecia Kempen, an LGBTQ advocate from St. Louis. “I think that kids know more about who they are and how they want to identify from a younger age.”

“What my bill would do would protect children under the age of 18 from sex change drugs and surgeries,” bill sponsor Rep. Brad Hudson (R) said. “I think in this divisive culture and divisive day that we live in and on an issue which can be very emotional—it is very important that we look at what the legislation actually does. I think it can be irresponsible to brand legislation as anti-LGBTQ when an individual hasn’t even read the legislation and doesn’t understand what it does.”

Bills like restricting gender-affirming care has seen some movement here at the Missouri legislature, but none have reached the governor’s desk so far.

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