**Missouri families prepare to flee state as new laws threaten transgender children’s health care and sports participation**
Missouri parents with transgender children are considering leaving the state following the passage of restrictive bills that could impact their child’s access to gender transition-related health care and participation in sports with the opposite gender. These controversial bills are scheduled to take effect on August 28, 2023, pending the governor’s signature.
The two new Senate Bills in Missouri are causing distress to parents of transgender children. Senate Bill 49 prohibits health care providers from performing gender transition surgeries or prescribing cross-sex hormones and puberty-blocking drugs for minors. Concurrently, Senate Bill 39 bans male students from participating in female sports across all educational levels. Consequently, many parents are drawing up plans to relocate their families for the sake of their child’s well-being.
Sara Holuf, one such concerned parent, spoke to local news outlet KMOV4 about her plans to move her three children to Maryland, one of whom is an 11-year-old transgender child. Holuf expressed sorrow at the prospect of leaving Missouri, but felt that her child could not live a fulfilling life with such restrictive laws. The mother also lamented that the 11-year-old would likely be barred from playing sports with females, describing it as an unjust limitation for a regular child who loves sports and spending time with friends.
Another parent, Jennifer Harris Dault, criticized the legislation for targeting her transgender child specifically. She is planning to relocate her family to New York to provide her child with better access to health care and gender-affirming opportunities. Harris Dault briefly considered staying in Missouri and visiting out-of-state doctors, but she felt that it was neither feasible nor sufficient for her child’s long-term well-being.
**Family upheaval underscores the tragic impact of Missouri’s restrictive legislation on transgender children**
As transgender children in Missouri face uncertain futures with the impending implementation of these new laws, some families are forced to bear the burden of upheaval and relocation in pursuit of a safe, supportive environment. The tragedy of these measures lies not only in their tangible effects but also in the emotional and social costs that these parents must endure to protect their children’s rights and well-being.
