Kansas City emerges as a sanctuary city for transgender procedures

In a challenge to state authorities this Wednesday, a Kansas City Council committee passed a resolution to declare it a sanctuary city for people who want to make a gender transition. The proposal will now be discussed in the full council.

While the Missouri Legislature is attempting to ban transgender procedures on both children and adults, local LGTBQ advocates are focusing their efforts on making the state's largest city a protected zone for those seeking access to such treatments.

The proposal approved by the council asks the city not to prosecute or fine any person or organization that provides or receives gender transition care assistance involving puberty blockers, hormones and even surgeries. It also mentions that if a law or resolution is passed at the state level imposing criminal, civil, or professional penalties or fines, Kansas City staff would enforce those requirements as "their lowest priority."

It should be noted that Kansas City is a Democratic-leaning city, although it is located in a primarily Republican state.

Emergency regulation against transitions in juveniles

The ruling is being considered around the same time a judge evaluates an emergency regulation proposed by Missouri Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey against gender transitions for minors.

The regulation would require children who wish to opt for transition procedures first to undergo a psychological evaluation to rule out autism. "The regulation is necessary due to the skyrocketing number of gender transition interventions, despite rising concerns in the medical community that these procedures are experimental and lack clinical evidence of safety or success," the prosecutor said.