ACLU sues over Kansas law banning gender-affirming care for minors
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the ACLU of Kansas on Wednesday filed a lawsuit challenging the state over a recent law that was passed – blocking gender-affirming care for minors.
The lawsuit was filed in Douglas County on behalf of two transgender adolescents and their parents, who say the new law violates the Kansas Constitution's guarantees of equal protection and fundamental rights.
In February, Kansas became the 27th state to ban or restrict such care when GOP lawmakers reversed Gov. Laura Kelly's veto after President Donald Trump issued an order barring federal support for gender-affirming care for youth under 19.
Gov. Kelly vetoed the bill on Feb. 11, saying it's inappropriate for politicians to infringe on parental rights. One week later, on Feb. 18, the veto was reversed.
The ACLU lawsuit was filed on behalf of a 16-year-old and his mother, as well as a 13-year-old and her mother.
"Our clients and every Kansan should have the freedom to make their own private medical decisions and consult with their doctors without the intrusion of Kansas politicians," said D.C. Hiegert, Civil Liberties Legal Fellow for the ACLU of Kansas.
Supporters of such bans argue that they protect vulnerable children from what they see as "radical" ideology about gender – and from making irreversible medical decisions too young.
The Kansas law prohibits puberty blockers, hormone therapies and/or surgery for minors diagnosed with gender dysphoria who are trying to transition away from the gender assigned to them at birth. State employees caring for children are not allowed to provide or encourage such treatment—nor are they allowed to encourage "social transitioning."
The law allows these same treatments to be provided to cisgender youth for any other reason.
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach released a statement in response to the lawsuit:
"I look forward to meeting the ACLU in court and defending our Kansas law. Once again, the ACLU is attempting to twist the meaning of the Kansas Constitution into something unrecognizable. The Kansas Legislature was well within its authority when it acted to protect Kansas children from these harmful surgeries."
The Associated Press contributed to this story.