Missouri judge says ban on gender-affirming health care for minors can take effect on Monday

Columbia, Mo. – A Missouri judge says a law banning gender-affirming treatments for minors can take effect.

St. Louis Circuit Judge Steven Ohmer ruled Friday that the law will kick in Monday, as previously scheduled.

Families of transgender minors had sued to overturn the law. They asked Ohmer to temporarily block it as the court challenge plays out.

But his ruling means that beginning Monday, minors in Missouri no longer can receive gender-affirming surgeries. Children prescribed puberty blockers or hormones before Aug. 28 will be allowed to continue treatment. Other children won’t have access to those medications.

Under the law, health care providers are prohibited from providing gender-affirming surgeries to children. Minors who began puberty blockers or hormones before Monday will be allowed to continue on those medications, but other minors won’t have access to those drugs.

Some adults will also lose access to gender-affirming care. Medicaid no longer will cover treatments for adults, and the state will not provide those surgeries to prisoners.

The ACLU of Missouri, Lambda Legal, and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner last month sued to overturn the law on behalf of doctors, LGBTQ+ organizations, and three families of transgender minors, arguing that it is discriminatory. They asked that the law be temporarily blocked as the court challenge against it plays out.