transgender

The Kansas Supreme Court’s decision to reject an appeal from Attorney General Kris Kobach allows the state to resume a process that had been in place for more than 20 years.

The U.S. Department of Education threatened to withhold federal funding from four Kansas school districts last month over their policies for transgender students. The school districts are seeking support as they navigate a federal investigation.

Four Kansas school districts say they haven’t received any complaints about their gender identity policies. But the federal government is investigating them anyway — and it has threatened to withhold federal funding from them.

The case before the Missouri Supreme Court comes after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a similar law in Tennessee that bars transgender minors from getting gender-affirming care.

An appeals court ruled Tuesday that the Missouri Attorney General's Office may receive protected health information in its investigation of adolescent gender-affirming care, though it rejected the attorney general's claims of broad investigative authority.

The policy from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services appears to target any reference to transgender or nonbinary people. The agency threatened to withhold federal funding for preventing teen pregnancy.

A Black transgender woman sued the Missouri Department of Corrections, claiming officers kept her isolated for six years based on a policy that singles out people with HIV. Missouri is now changing its policy as a result of that settlement.

Honesty Bishop was attacked by her cellmate. Missouri prison officials deemed her sexually active and kept her in isolation for over six years.

Shawnee Mission, Olathe, Topeka and Kansas City, Kansas, public school districts allegedly allowed students to participate in sports and use restrooms that align with their gender identity. The districts also permitted teachers to maintain confidentiality with transgender students.

Missouri has banned medical gender-affirming health care for youth and some adults since 2023. But there are plenty of other forms of gender-affirming care happening in the state, and advocates say it’s saving lives. Plus: Missouri’s Medicaid program is about to go through a major change with the advent of federally imposed work requirements.

Missouri has banned medical gender-affirming care for youth and some adults since 2023. But other forms of gender-affirming care is happening in the state — including haircuts, facial waxing and photography — and advocates say it's saving lives.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear two cases in the fall that test state laws banning transgender women and girls from participating in sports at publicly funded institutions. Both Missouri and Kansas have passed simii restrictions.