Ashland celebrates Pride after new law restricting transgender treatments signed

ASHLAND, Mo. (KMIZ)

The second annual Ashland Pride Festival took place on Sunday, at a time when Missouri is enacting laws restricting access to gender-transition treatments.

Caitlin Cunningham, owner of the Dandy Lion Cafe and organizer of Ashland's Pride Festival, said they took every safety precaution when planning Sunday's event, from health safety to physical safety.

"To make sure that physically and emotionally and mentally and psychologically, all that stuff,  we had people here for the heat and then we have Ashland Police Department supporting us today," Cunningham said.

Many were present at the festival to show support.

"We just really think that it's important for, you know, small communities like this to embrace every single person for the unique individual that they are," said Brandon Banks with Nclusion Plus.

This comes on the heels of the Missouri governor signing a bill restricting gender-affirming treatments -- leading to some choosing to move out of the state.

The bill was signed into law last month. Senate Bill 49 bans access to gender-affirming care, such as puberty blockers and hormones to children, who are younger than 18 years old. The bill also prohibits Missouri’s Medicaid program, MO HealthNet, from providing payment for gender transition surgery and puberty blockers.

"We support everyone's right to his or her own pursuit of happiness; however, we must protect children from making life-altering decisions that they could come to regret in adulthood once they have physically and emotionally matured," Parson said after signing the law.