With Missouri ban on gender-affirming care likely, Kansas City Council approves sanctuary status

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Officials in Missouri’s largest city approved a resolution Thursday to declare it a sanctuary for people seeking or providing gender-affirming care, defying state lawmakers who voted a day earlier to ban such care for minors and restrict it for some adults. Mayor Quinton Lucas praised the 12 to 1 vote, saying the city is committed to being a “welcoming, inclusive, and safe place for everyone, including our transgender and LGBTQ+ community.” Kansas City’s proposal is coming from a Democratic-leaning city in a state with a Republican governor and GOP-controlled Legislature. GOP Gov. Mike Parson is expected to sign the anti-gender-affirming care measure into law, joining at least 16 other states that have enacted similar laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care for minors.