Reacting to the mixed outcomes of several anti-trans ballot initiatives across the country, Karla Gonzales Garcia, Director of Gender, Sexuality, and Identity at Amnesty International USA, said:
“In Missouri, voters have defended gender-affirming care and the right to make medical decisions without political interference. This is a powerful affirmation of bodily autonomy for transgender youth and a meaningful victory for LGBTQ+ rights.
“As we celebrate this progress, we are also united in solidarity with every young transgender person whose future feels less certain today, as several anti-trans ballot measures pass in Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, and Washington.
“These cruel ballot measures will deny transgender youth the agency to make their own health decisions and participate in athletic programs. They will isolate young transgender people socially and subject them to intrusive examination of their bodies at school, while stripping them of critical medical care that could endanger their lives.
“One thing should be clear: transgender youth have the same rights to health, dignity, and wellbeing as everybody else. They have a right to live safely and authentically as themselves, without discrimination against their gender identity. We must ensure that the passage of these anti-trans ballot measures does not pave the way for broader laws that legalize the erasure of transgender people across the country.
“As we celebrate meaningful progress in Missouri today, while acknowledging the setback in other states, our advocacy for the transgender community will not stop. We will continue our work to defend the dignity and wellbeing of transgender youth, and support a future where all transgender people can enjoy the full range of their human rights. The fight for transgender rights is not over.”
Background:
Colorado and Missouri both had a ballot measure in the 2026 election to ban medical professionals from providing gender-affirming care to minors. The ballot measure failed in Missouri and passed in Colorado.Â
Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, and Washington each had a ballot measure in the 2026 election to restrict transgender youth from participating in school sports teams that align with their gender identity. The ballot measures passed in all four states.
Amnesty International USA participated in campaign efforts to urge voters to reject Propositions 134 and 135 in Colorado.
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