JEFFERSON CITY — Senate Republicans on Tuesday used a recent report from a former employee of a St. Louis transgender center to bolster arguments in favor of legislation to prohibit gender-affirming treatments for minors.
Jamie Reed, who worked at the Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital as a case manager between 2018 and 2022, did not testify Tuesday in favor of bills limiting care, but last week claimed in a first-person narrative without rebuttal that “vulnerable patients” had been harmed at the clinic.
She also signed an affidavit, swearing to incidents at the center, which was released by Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office.
Reed alleged that instead of providing mental health treatment to children who needed it, the center gave them puberty blockers, which pause the physical change of growing up, or cross-sex hormones. She alleged cases moved forward despite disagreements between parents about their child’s need for gender-affirming care.
In her sworn affidavit, she alleged the center regularly referred minors for gender-transition surgery, contrary to public assurances by its doctors.
“Lots of information has been presented, particularly from ... the whistleblower’s testimony,” said Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove.
“I don’t have anything against transgender adults, but in my mind, we have to protect the kids,” said Sen. Denny Hoskins, a Warrensburg Republican and one of the sponsors of legislation limiting treatment....
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