Key takeaways:
- A Missouri judge has temporarily blocked a first-of-its-kind rule restricting access to gender-affirming health care for transgender kids and adults.
- The rule was challenged in court by transgender Missourians and health care providers who argued that Bailey had sidestepped the GOP-led Legislature and acted beyond his authority.
- The ruling is a victory for transgender rights advocates and it is unclear at this time what the next steps will be for the rule.
A Missouri judge has temporarily blocked a first-of-its-kind rule restricting access to gender-affirming health care for transgender kids and adults just hours before it was set to take effect. The rule, instated by Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey, would have placed requirements on both minors and adults before they would be allowed to receive gender-affirming treatments, such as puberty blockers or hormones.
St. Louis County Circuit Judge Ellen Ribaudo ruled against the emergency rule on transgender health care, putting it on hold until at least Monday. Transgender Missourians and health care providers had sued to stop it from taking effect as scheduled Thursday.
The rule was challenged in court by transgender Missourians and health care providers who argued that Bailey had sidestepped the GOP-led Legislature and acted beyond his authority in attempting to regulate gender-affirming health care under the state’s consumer-protection laws.
The ruling is a victory for transgender rights advocates who have argued that the rule would have had a devastating impact on transgender individuals in the state. It is unclear at this time what the next steps will be for the rule, but it is likely that the legal battle will continue.
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