Transgender Kansans and their advocates are bracing for another battle in 2025 as Republican lawmakers intensify efforts to ban gender-affirming care for minors. Despite enacting several anti-trans laws in 2023, Republicans have yet to override Democratic Governor Laura Kelly’s vetoes on legislation targeting gender transition surgeries, puberty blockers, and hormone treatments for youth. However, with newly expanded Republican supermajorities in the Kansas House and Senate, party leaders are confident they now have the votes to push through the controversial legislation.
Senate President Ty Masterson, a Republican from Andover, expressed optimism about the renewed effort. “Trans surgeries on minors? It will be back. We only missed that by one or two votes in the House,” Masterson told reporters, signaling that the issue would be revisited with greater force in the upcoming session.
While the specifics of the new bill remain undisclosed, the Republican push coincides with national discussions on gender-affirming care. The U.S. Supreme Court is currently evaluating a Tennessee law banning such care for minors, a ruling on which could influence the legal landscape nationwide. Additionally, Kansas Senator Roger Marshall plans to introduce federal legislation penalizing medical professionals who provide gender-affirming treatments to minors, including hefty fines of up to $100,000.
Transition surgeries for minors are extremely rare, with most gender-affirming care involving counseling, puberty blockers, and hormone treatments. Adam Kellogg, a 21-year-old transgender student at the University of Kansas, shared how access to puberty blockers at a young age was critical to his well-being. “Not having that option would have sincerely hurt me and my family,” Kellogg explained, emphasizing that such care allows trans youth to lead more stable, fulfilling lives.
Conservative lawmakers argue that gender-affirming care poses long-term risks and regret, describing it as experimental. However, Kellogg countered that denying access to care could endanger vulnerable youth, pushing them toward harmful coping mechanisms. Major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, support gender-affirming care, affirming its safety and necessity.
Currently, 26 states have enacted bans on gender-affirming care, though some, like Arkansas and Montana, face legal challenges that have stalled enforcement. In Missouri, a ban affecting minors and adults remains intact after a recent court ruling, highlighting the patchwork legal battles playing out across the U.S.
Kansas Democrats, led by new House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, the first openly LGBTQ+ leader in state history, vow to continue fighting against restrictive legislation. “I continue to have faith that when people hear the issues — last year’s bill was one of the most extreme in the country — we can find common ground,” Woodard said.
As Kansas prepares for the 2025 legislative session, the debate over gender-affirming care is poised to reignite, underscoring the high stakes for transgender youth and their advocates. With potential ramifications for mental health and access to essential care, both sides anticipate a contentious and consequential fight.
