SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Right now, there are some proposed laws in Jefferson City that would punish doctors and parents for letting someone under 18 go through gender reassignment or surgery. As these bills go through the capital’s legislative session, a Springfield teenager is about to pass. KOLR10’s Jesse Inman talked to the teenager’s parent about how they handle it as a family and what they want legislators to understand about situations like theirs. Brea Brown and her husband have two children and they worry about the same things that many families do. But almost three years ago, their eldest child, who was born male, wanted the family to know something. “When Jackie told us she was trans, first of all, it was not like, ‘Hey, I’m trans,’ it’s a gradual thing,” Brown said. “It’s getting to know herself. She just knew there was something different about her, that her inner self did not match what the world saw.” Brown says it was an emotional and difficult experience in the beginning, to work to find information and consult doctors about alternatives. “It drives the game from just puberty blockers, which is completely reversible, all the way up to surgery,” Brown said. The family is still exploring the possibilities for their teenager, but two bills going through the capital right now are designed to stop gender segregation measures for minors. House Bill 2051 adds a new language to the definition of child abuse to include parents who allow children under 18 to undergo gender reassignment procedures, especially surgical or hormonal treatment. The house bill of 1721 can lead to a doctor losing his medical license and parents being reported to the social services. “It’s very disappointing to learn that with my child’s support I can be imprisoned or lose custody of my child because people in Jefferson City do not understand anything,” Brown said. “It’s not the only part of her. It’s not the only part of who she is.” Brown says things for Jackie at school have been pretty good for the most part, with many students accepting her for who she is. House bills 1721 and 2051 are still in the committee, but have not yet been voted on. .

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