Senators Mike Moon, Jill Carter, Denny Hoskins, and Bill Eigel held a press conference last week on SB 49, known as the “Missouri Save Adolescents from Experimentation Act” or the SAFE Act, alongside Chloe Cole and Luka Hein who had received transgender treatment as minors.
They were also joined by Reps. Mazzie Boyd, Brad Hudson, Justin Sparks.
Both Cole and Hein spoke about their own personal experiences receiving gender-related surgeries as a minor.
Cole discussed her regrets after receiving transgender treatment in California.
Hein stated it was the responsibility to protect children and keep them safe. “The medical system has failed us. You never hear the side of kids who were affected by this and came out harmed.
Hein encouraged parents to instead of reflexively going to transgender therapies, to look at all of the reasons causing gender dysmorphia. “Instead of leaving me whole and allowing me to grow, I was medicalized, mutilated, and possibly sterilized. I needed actual help not plastic surgery or hormones and I was never given that chance.”
Neither Hein nor Cole received treatment in Missouri.
If SB 49, was signed into law, it would prevent physicians from giving certain gender-affirming care, such as surgery or hormone therapy.
A similar bill in Arkansas was passed but ended up being blocked by the U.S. District Court. Detractors of SB 49 believe it will suffer the same fate if passed.
“We need to pay attention to what we are really pushing and advocating for,” Moon said.
There may be wider ramifications stemming from SB 49 and the ongoing controversy at Washington University.
Senator Moon has already called for a senate investigative committee. When asked about the status of that committee Senator Moon responded that “I have asked, and have been told that it’s not at this time the desire of leadership to form a committee, but maybe in the future we can explore other avenues to perform an investigation.”
Washington University which runs the controversial Washington University Transgender Center is also the sponsor of one of the largest charter schools in the state and could receive a large increase in scope and funding by bills being advanced by the senate education committee.
Senator Hoskins was asked if after seeing the latest controversies he would consider sending his child to a charter school. He replied, “no”. When asked if anyone in Warrensburg would currently send their child to a charter school run by Wash U he replied, “no”.
Senator Moon was asked if he was now willing to back the scope and funding increases for Wash U being promoted by the senate education committee.
“Absolutely not. In fact, I have supported and filed a measure in the last three years now to tax their endowments until they stop these atrocities, from training abortion doctors to harvest organs and sell them for experimentation and this is another one. I am going to add it to the bill. And I am going to up the tax,” said Moon. “Now I do not know if we have the backbone to get it done collectively, I don’t care. This is something that needs to be front and center. Washington U is portraying evil onto children. And we are paying for it. So we gotta stop it.”
In response to a reporter’s question on the suspicious timing of the investigation of the Washington University whistleblower, with tears welling in his eyes, Senator Moon gave a lengthy explanation of his belief in the timing.
“I am going to say something that may not sit well with some, but you probably know my beliefs and my worldview. I was frustrated to no end over the last four or five weeks when this bill had not been referred to committee yet. And I didn’t know why except I knew that there was opposition. And I knew there were some conversations that were had on both sides of the issue,” said Moon.
“When this revelation came out by the whistleblower Jamie Reed on Thursday, I really didn’t put two and two together. The bill then was assigned for a hearing for Tuesday and I woke up Saturday morning, Knowing that it was going to be heard and the Lord that I serve put the thought in my mind that ‘See, don’t worry about this, because my timing is perfect’. Had we had this bill heard 3, 4, or 5 weeks ago, we might not have been having the same conversation and it might not have carried the same weight but I am telling you, folks, we have an intelligent designer. That created this world and of course, There is an evil-doer who is seeking to kill and destroy us and our children. If we follow the lead of God, the heavenly creator, the designer of us, then we will be in good shape. So I am just telling you that the timing could not have been more perfect, leave it in the Lord’s hands and we will be in good shape.”
