Statement from HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra on Missouri’s Emergency Regulation Restricting Access to Gender-Affirming Care

“At a time when our communities are facing true threats to their health and well-being – in the form of natural disasters, gun violence, and simply putting food on the table – some states and their elected officials have chosen to not focus on these issues but rather on a crisis of their own manufacturing.

“To date, we have seen at least a dozen states take steps to restrict access to gender-affirming treatment, primarily targeting trans youth, their families and caretakers, and their health care providers. These actions strip parents and guardians of their ability to make the most intimate of decisions and interfere with the independent medical judgement of health care providers. Most tragically, these actions send a message to our trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming youth that partisan politics matters more than their mental or physical health.

“The Emergency Regulation issued by the Attorney General of Missouri on April 13, 2023, is an egregious attack on the bodily autonomy of transgender people and an unconscionable interference with the practice of medicine by dedicated and trained professionals.

“We must not lose sight of the humanity of the people impacted by these laws. We will continue to fight on behalf of all Americans to ensure they have access to the care and support they need.”