Missouri legislators vote to ban transgender care

Missouri politicians also sent the Republican governor legislation to ban transgender girls and women from playing on female sports teams from kindergarten through to college, both at public and private schools.

Glenda Starke wears a transgender flag as a counter protest during a rally in favour of a ban on gender-affirming health care legislation, on March 20, 2023, at the Missouri Statehouse in Jefferson City (Charlie Riedel/AP/PA)

Transgender minors in the US state of Missouri will no longer will have access to puberty blockers, hormones or gender-affirming surgery under legislation passed by the Republican-led legislature on Wednesday.

The ban also affects some adults — Medicaid health care will not cover any gender-affirming care in the state – and surgery will no longer be available to prisoners.