Missouri Planned Parenthood sues over transgender research

Alawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood of Missouri reveals that the state’s Republican attorney general is investigating gender-affirming care provided at the organization’s St. Louis clinic. The Missouri state attorney general is investigating gender-affirming care provided by Planned Parenthood, according to a lawsuit filed by the St. Louis health provider. Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri sued Attorney General Andrew Bailey on Friday in St. Louis circuit court, according to court documents. Bailey’s office demanded records from Planned Parenthood on March 14 as part of an investigation into treatments provided to transgender youth at an unrelated St. Louis clinic run by Washington University, the lawsuit claims.

Planned Parenthood argues in its lawsuit that its clinic has nothing to do with the

Washington University Transgender Center at Children’s Hospital of St. Louis, which was the subject of multiple investigations following allegations of mistreatment by a former employee. Planned Parenthood is trying to block access to its records and has asked Judge Elizabeth Hogan to tell Bailey that he has no authority to investigate the clinic, which is inspected by the state health department.

Dr. Colleen McNicholas, the health center’s medical director, described Bailey’s research as a “fishing expedition.” She told The Associated Press that her office has not made allegations of abuse at the Planned Parenthood clinic. A Bailey spokeswoman did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Associated Press on Friday. The lawsuit was filed Friday as rallies were scheduled in cities across the country as part of “Transgender Day of Visibility.” The attorney general’s investigation is “an attempt to help him work outside of the legislative process and eliminate access to transgender care for Missourians,” McNicholas said. As the state’s top attorney, Bailey is following his predecessor’s example in using the position to take a stand on social issues. Last week, he announced plans to introduce an emergency rule to restrict healthcare for transgender children. An 18-month waiting period, 15 therapy sessions, and additional mental health treatment would be required before Missouri doctors can provide genderaffirming care to minors. His office has yet to file the rule. Medical treatment for transgender children has been available in the US for more than a decade and is endorsed by major medical associations. Many clinics use treatment plans started in Amsterdam 30 years ago, according to a recent review by the British Psych Bulletin. Since 2005, the number of young people referred to gender clinics has increased tenfold in the US, UK, Canada and Finland, according to the review. McNicholas of Planned Parenthood said Bailey is using the “same playbook” that anti-abortion activists and elected officials have used to restrict abortions. Before that, Republicans fought for years to eliminate abortion in the state.The state legislature led by the Republican Party annually proposes anti-abortion bills. When increasingly restrictive bans on the procedure were introduced in the courts, Republican governors intervened.

“If we are to learn anything from our past experience with the state targeting the provision of legal abortion care, we know that other people providing this care will certainly be targets,” McNicholas said. “If not now, then soon.”