On June 7, 2023, the governor of Missouri, Mike Parson, signed Senate Bills 39 and 49 into law which made transgender sports and gender treatment illegal.
SB 39
Senate Bill 39 prohibits biological males from participating on sports teams for biological females. This law applies to all schools. Governor Parson said of it:
Women and girls deserve and have fought for an equal opportunity to succeed, and with this legislation today, we stand up to the nonsense and stand with them as they take back their sport competitions. In Missouri, we support real fairness, not injustice disguised as social righteousness. [1]
SB 49
Senate Bill 49 relates somewhat to SB 39. The bill, also called the Missouri Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act, makes it illegal to perform gender transition surgeries or prescribing hormones or drugs for the purposes of gender transition to Missouri children under the age of 18. Governor Parson said that while everyone should be able to follow their pursuit of happiness, letting children decide to make life-altering decisions when they are not mature is not a good idea.
We support everyone’s right to his or her own pursuit of happiness; however, we must protect children from making life-altering decisions that they could come to regret in adulthood once they have physically and emotionally matured.
