Missouri Judge Rejects Attempt to Halt Ban on Transgender Treatments for Minors

A judge in St. Louis has denied a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit brought by the ACLU of Missouri and Lambda Legal, allowing a new state law to take effect on Monday that blocks transgender youth in Missouri from beginning new gender-affirming-care treatments. The law imposes a four-year moratorium on hormonal therapies, puberty blocking medications, and surgical procedures for minors, but does not ban counseling for minors experiencing gender dysphoria. The judge questioned the science behind gender-affirming care and stated that the evidence raises more questions than answers. The case will proceed to a full trial on the merits in September.