The city of Kansas City, Missouri, has officially been designated as a “Safe Haven for Gender-Affirming Healthcare” with the passing of a new Gender-Affirming Healthcare Policy resolution. The resolution aims to protect access to gender-affirming care for Kansas City residents and pushes back against dangerous bills attempting to criminalize access to such healthcare.
The resolution, backed by Sixth District-at-Large Councilwoman Andrea Bough and officials including the mayor, is a welcome bright spot amidst the ridiculous, transphobia-obsessed efforts of Missouri Republican officials to restrict access to healthcare. As a safe haven for gender-affirming care, Kansas City officials will be seeking to ensure that all residents, regardless of sex, gender, or sexuality, will have access to the care they need. Under the recently approved policies, Kansas City will not pursue, criminally or civilly, those seeking gender-affirming care and in the event that the state of Missouri does impose GOP-backed rules restricting access to gender-affirming care will make it the city’s “lowest priority.” (That’s per a press release.)
The plan also encourages the police department in the city to also implement a gender-affirming care protection policy of their own. Gender-affirming care has been determined by numerous trusted and leading health organizations — like the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Endocrine Society, to name just a few — to be medically necessary treatment for gender dysphoria.
Councilwoman Andrea Bough has shared strong words of support. “As a woman and a mother, I strongly feel that personal health care decisions should be reserved for individuals, families, and their physicians without influence from politicians,” she said. “Public service should be about helping the community not harming individuals. Today we are proclaiming to our Transgender and LGBTQ community that you are safe with us.”
Mayor Quinton Lucas (D) stated: “Kansas City government is committed to ensuring Kansas City is a welcoming, inclusive, and safe place for everyone, including our transgender and LGBTQ+ community. After the Missouri state legislature introduced several bills criminalizing access to gender affirming healthcare across Missouri, I am proud City Council took action and approved the “safe haven” resolution to take steps, within our legal power, to protect our transgender community and anyone seeking gender-affirming care.”
Missouri state Republicans and Republicans all across the country have doubled down on their efforts to shape the false narrative that children are being experimented on by medical organizations and personnel, fear-mongering with no basis in reality while blocking genuine attempts to protect children from actual real-world threats. Whether it’s blocking attempts to address gun violence killing children in our schools, stripping Americans of reproductive healthcare rights and protections, or targeting LGBTQ+ children, Republican officials continue to prove that they are unfit to lead us, let alone protect and guide our children. The full “Safe Haven” resolution can be found here.
