KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On International Transgender Day of Visibility, KSHB 41 News is sharing a preview of a larger conversation I-Team reporter and anchor Sarah Plake had with four transgender community leaders.
These people are not only advocates in the transgender and queer communities, but experts in their fields.
This conversation comes as there have been 13 bills introduced in Kansas and 35 in Missouri that specifically aim to impact transgender kids.
So far, one of the Kansas bills and two of the Missouri bills have progressed.
In Kansas, supporters call one bill the "Women's Bill of Rights," which says it protects biological women from trans women.
In Missouri, a sports bill would require kids to play for the sports team that corresponds with the gender on their birth certificate. Another bill in Missouri would limit gender-affirming care for minors.
Plake recently sat down with four trans leaders in our community. In one of her questions, she asked what they make of seeing so much legislation addressing children.
"These bills that are being pushed out are very scary. It's just kind of making these children feel like they don't have a safe place," said Kelly Nou, a board member for Transformations KC.
D.C. Hiegert, with the LGBTQ+ Legal Fellow for ACLU Kansas, said the bills are harmful for the trans community.
"On the Kansas side, the Women's Bill of Rights would ban trans folks from accessing restrooms and domestic violence centers, crisis centers, necessary public accommodations," Hiegert said. "You can see the through lines of what they're really trying to do with these bills. And they're using kids because it's an easy target."
Merrique Jenson is the founder and executive director of Transformations KC. She addressed concerns about transgender people using public bathrooms that match their gender identity.
"I don't know about you all, but when I go to the restroom, I just need to go," Jenson said. "It's not about having this moment with a child — that's disgusting. I think all these things are strategically set up to win points. We're coming up on election season, and who better to do this to than the folks that are crying out and challenging this archaic system that exists right now."
JD Besares serves as the Housing Commissioner for the LGBTQ Commission of Kansas City.
He expressed concerns about the messages these bills send to LGBTQ+ people.
"We shouldn't have hate in our hearts for anybody. And utilizing religion and all these other ideologies to persecute people is so far from what being a good person is," Besares said.
KSHB 41 reached out to lawmakers on both sides of the state line who have sponsored these bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community.
So far, we've heard back from a couple on the Missouri side, who expressed concerns about children making informed decisions about their own health care, and concerns about maintaining an even playing field for female athletes.
Plake will share more of her roundtable discussion with transgender community leaders in the coming weeks.
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