Far-right extremists in Topeka hurt more than just transgender Kansans | Opinion

Despite an enduring supermajority in the Kansas Legislature, my Republican lawmaker colleagues continue to circumvent the democratic process by enacting unnecessary procedural maneuvers designed to silence opposition. And while debates about bathroom access continue to suck the air out of the room, there are other very real reasons for Kansans to be concerned — because transgender folks are not the only ones who will be affected by legislators’ decisions.

Regarding the recently-enacted anti-transgender Senate Bill 244, some folks are under the impression that there are no inclusive multiple-occupancy spaces in Kansas (there are). Some elected officials are unsure whether S.B. 244 applies to their city or county (it does).

Supporters have said repeatedly that the cost of compliance will be negligible. But no one knows how much this will cost the state because no one bothered to attach what’s called a fiscal note, which explains how much the implementation of any given bill is estimated to cost. Legislation without a fiscal note is incredibly irresponsible and underscores the tunnel vision detractors have when it comes to persecuting transgender people.

But bathrooms aren’t the only target of S.B. 244. Under the statute, Kansas-issued driver’s licenses and birth certificates that have updated gender information will be nullified, requiring trans people to replace these identity documents at their own cost. Obtaining identity documents that align with their lived gender is often a protracted process for trans people. And for a community that experiences poverty at four to 10 times the national average, paying to replace identity documents that have been voided through no fault of their own is a kick while they’re already down.

Driver’s licenses and birth certificates are important foundational documents, and driver’s licenses are especially ubiquitous in daily life. From courthouses to casinos, driver’s licenses are routinely used to verify someone’s identity or age. Obtaining a gym membership, filling out a job application, checking into a hotel, opening a bank account and buying tobacco and alcohol are just a few things on a very long list of routine activities that require a person to show their driver’s license. As such, trans people will routinely run the risk of discrimination and even outright violence for carrying out tasks we all do in our everyday lives.

And while trans people are on the front lines of a culture war that the Legislature continues to prosecute against queer Kansans, they are far from the only folks that are being harmed by legislation moving through the statehouse.

Legislation that grants preferential interest rates on commercial loans has met little resistance, while bills designed to feed all schoolchildren and expand Medicaid are left to wither on the vine. Tax credits to benefit already well-off private schools are set to be expanded, further eroding the funding that underpins public education. All the while, new laws are being made legitimizing discrimination against people on housing assistance programs. Erin’s Law, which would institute age-appropriate unsafe touching instruction for school-age children, continues its 12-year struggle to gain traction among those who purport to have the safety and well-being of Kansas kids at the forefront of their minds.

In the face of fearmongering and underhanded political tactics, solidarity across communities is imperative to protect and advocate for vulnerable Kansans from all walks of life. Contacting your elected officials is important. Voting is vital. Direct action is a necessity. Some Kansans have been doing that work for a long time, and some are just now getting involved.

In the context of S.B. 244, a restroom protest in the statehouse easily identified the problems that the law not only won’t solve, but will cause. An effort has been undertaken to help transgender people cover the costs of replacing their identifying documents. This is the energy that we must show up with every day for our families and neighbors. Without it, far-right ideology will continue to run roughshod over Topeka, to the detriment of Kansans across the state.

Abi Boatman represents District 86 in the Kansas House of Representatives. She is a U.S. Air Force veteran. In 2012, she began her own transition and has spent the following years advocating for transgender and queer equality. She has served on the Wichita Public Library board and is in her third year as a member of her District Advisory Board in Wichita.

This story was originally published February 27, 2026 at 5:06 AM.