ST LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Mayor Tishora Jones signed an executive order Thursday designed to make transgender people feel more welcome in the city.
The order calls for city agencies to implement policies that would mitigate the effects of transgender laws passed earlier this month banning transgender people from participating in gender-affirming care and sports. Missouri legislators.
Under the order, the city’s health department will increase access to information about gender-affirming care. Induction training for new and existing city employees will be included. City-run sports events will not ask participants about their gender identity. And one bathroom in every city building will be designated as an all-gender facility, KSDK-TV. Reported.
The city’s economic development arm will also be asked to recommend incentives for businesses to support gender inclusion.
Jones, a Democrat, signed the order after discussions with LGBTQ+ leaders about how Missouri’s new legislation would affect their community.
The legislation would ban gender-affirming care for minors and prohibit transgender girls and women from participating on girls’ sports teams from kindergarten through college. Gov. Mike Parsons has not signed the legislation, but is expected to.
“I have heard from trans youth and their families who feel that the hateful attacks by Jefferson City Republicans will force them to leave our state,” Jones said in a statement. “This order sends a message that St. Louis will fight to protect our trans community in the face of prejudice.”
Kansas City recently Declared itself a refuge. For LGBTQ+ people seeking gender-affirming care. The city’s police chief said the department will not enforce the law because it does not include criminal sanctions. And if a state law is passed that increases criminal penalties, city employees will make enforcement a lower priority.
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