Mayor Jones signs executive order promoting transgender healthcare, gender-inclusive practices

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - Mayor Tishaura Jones signed executive order #77 on Thursday. The order seeks to establish new practices in City departments to be more inclusive of different gender identities.

The executive order follows a roundtable with LGBTQ+ community leaders and Mayor Jones.

“In St. Louis, everyone deserves to thrive, regardless of their gender identity or expression,” said Mayor Jones. “I’ve heard from trans youth and their families who feel like hateful attacks from Jefferson City Republicans will force them to leave our state. This order sends the message that St. Louis will fight to protect our trans community in the face of bigotry.”

There are four significant sections outlined in the executive order:

1. Increasing access to information on gender-affirming care and how to access it.
2. Providing safe, inclusive opportunities for youth to participate in sports.
3. Further ensuring the function of the City government are supportive and inclusive to transgender residents and workers.
4. Mitigating economic harm caused by recent state legislation by finding ways to accommodate transgender individuals through business opportunities

According to the ACLU, nearly 500 anti-transgender bills have been introduced nationwide this year; Missouri legislators filed 48 different pieces of legislation, the second-highest number of anti-trans bills in the country. Two bills passed by the Missouri legislature emplaced bans on gender-affirming healthcare for transgender minors and a prohibition on transgender athletes playing sports that match their gender.

St. Louis’ non-discrimination ordinance forbids discrimination in housing, employment, or public accommodations based on gender identity and expression. Any St. Louis resident who feels they have faced gender identity-based discrimination is encouraged to file a claim with the Civil Rights Enforcement Agency (CREA) online or at (314) 622-3301.

Copyright 2023 KMOV. All rights reserved.