In Kansas, Republican legislators attempted to override Democratic Governor Laura Kelly’s veto of a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors. While the Senate successfully voted to override the veto with a two-thirds majority, the House fell two votes short of the necessary majority.
Two Republicans who had previously supported the bill voted against overriding the veto due to concerns about provisions, including one that would prevent state employees from advocating for social transitioning for transgender youth.
Social transitioning includes changing preferred pronouns or manner of dress, and the bill did not clearly define what constitutes promoting it.
Backers of a ban on gender care for minors (Credits: CNN)
The broader push to roll back transgender rights by Republican lawmakers across the U.S. has resulted in similar measures being proposed in various states. Kansas would have become the 25th state to restrict or ban gender-affirming care for minors.
Republican lawmakers argued that they were protecting children from what they view as experimental and potentially harmful health care practices. However, major medical groups, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, support gender-affirming care.
Laura Kelly (Credits: Youtube)
Critics of the ban argue that it sends a message of exclusion to transgender residents and may violate free speech rights by preventing state employees from advocating for social transitioning. Governor Kelly, who vetoed a similar ban last year, suggested that such measures could harm the state’s business climate.
Transgender youth and their supporters emphasized the importance of gender-affirming care in improving mental health and reducing suicidal tendencies.
Despite the veto override failing in the House, the debate reflects ongoing challenges and conflicts over transgender rights and health care access in the U.S.
