>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US FOR "NEXT UP."

ALVIN AND I WILL BE HOSTING FOR THE NEXT HALF HOUR.

THIS IS THE PROGRAM WHERE WE INTERVIEW COMMUNITY LEADERS, CURRENT ISSUES.

IT'S BEEN ESTIMATED BY THE ACLU BETWEEN 27 AND 30 BILLS IN JEFFERSON CITY TAKE AWAY RIGHTS OF TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI.

ON MONDAY, ADVOCATES OF THOSE BILLS ARE PLANNING A DEMONSTRATION IN JEFFERSON CITY.

WE THOUGHT WE GET THE OTHER SIDE, SAY, OKAY, ARE TRANSGENDER RIGHTS UNDER ATTACK?

ARE THEY THREATENED IN THE SHOW ME STATE?

WITH US NOW IS RORY PICKER NIECE, WHO'S THE MOTHER OF A TRANSGENDER SON.

SHE'S ALSO AN LGBTQ ADVOCATE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY ELLIOTT LAWRENCE, WHO'S A TRANSGENDER MAN WHO IS A PROMO ADVOCATE.

PROMO IS KIND OF LIKE TO THE LGBT COMMUNITY WITH THE ADL -- ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION TRYING TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US ON "NEXT UP."

WELL, I'LL ASK YOU FIRST, DO YOU THINK THE TRANSGENDER RIGHTS ARE UNDER ATTACK RIGHT NOW IN THE SHOW ME STATE?

>> THEY ARE.

NOT ONLY IN MISSOURI BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE ARE SEEING WAVES OF THESE BILLS.

PROBABLY NOWHERE MORE SO THAN IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI.

>> FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD SAY THAT A MINOR WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THERAPY OR PUBERTY BLOCKERS OR HORMONE THERAPY.

ONE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE AGE OF 18 OR 19 FOR THAT?

>> YES.

>> CURRENTLY, SOMEONE WHO IS 13 OR 14, 15, WOULD BE ELIGIBLE IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI.

>> GENDER AFFIRMING HEALTHCARE LOOKS DIFFERENT FROM EVERY PERSON.

IT'S HARD TO HAVE ONE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT'S REALLY WIDE RANGE OF MEDICINE.

CURRENTLY, PEOPLE WHO LOOK TO ACCESS AT YOUNGER AGES, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GENDER AFFIRMING HEALTHCARE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE MINORITIES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INITIALLY SUPPORTING THEM THROUGH THAT TRANSITION.

THAT COULD BE THROUGH TALK THERAPY, THAT COULD BE TALKING TO THEIR PEDIATRICIAN.

AS KIDS GET TO BE 12, 13, WE MIGHT BE TALKING ABOUT PUBERTY BLOCKS WHICH WILL DELAY IN THE BODY THAT THEY KNOW THAT ARE NOT THEIRS.

WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT TAKE HORMONES.

>> I WANT TO FOLLOW-UP ON THAT.

WITH ALL THESE BILLS, THERE'S SOME GROUP OF PEOPLE IN MISSOURI THAT WANT TO CHANGE HOW OUR LAWS WORK.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU UNDER ATTACKED LEGALLY?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF BILLS SET BY PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT QUITE UNDERSTAND WHAT HARM THEY COULD BE DOING.

IF THEY DO UNDERSTAND THE HARM, JUST SEEING THAT BEING CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT TRANSGENDER PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO DO AND TRYING TO LIVE THEIR LIFE.

IT'S DISHEARTENING TO SEE ALL OF THESE BILLS COMING FORWARD.

>> BASED ON WHERE THEY ARE COMING FROM, DO YOU THINK YOU CAN EXPLAIN AWAY THE WAY THEY THINK NOW?

MY QUESTION IS KIND OF LIKE WHY.

THIS IS NOT UNDUE BURDEN ON STATE.

THERE'S POLITICAL REASONS ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT REASONS.

USUALLY IT COMES DOWN TO THIS IS A COST BURDEN TO THE STATE.

THIS IS NOT.

WHY ARE LEGISLATURES SO INVOLVED IN THIS?

>> I WISH I COULD ANSWER THAT.

AS SOMEONE WHO IS TRANSGENDER AND YOU HAVE A TRANSGENDER FAMILY AND FRIENDS HOW I LIVE.

SOMETIMES I FORGET ABOUT HOW PEOPLE CAN VIEW TRANSGENDER PEOPLE BECAUSE I'M FILLED WITH SO MUCH LOVE FOR MY FRIENDS AND FOR THE PEOPLE OF MY COMMUNITY.

IT'S SOMETIMES SHOCKING TO SEE HOW THESE PEOPLE CAN VIEW, HAVE THESE STRANGE VIEWS.

>> ELLIOTT, WHAT'S YOUR STORY?

>> I TRANSITIONED WHEN I WAS 19 YEARS OLD.

I HAVE THREE SISTERS.

I WAS LITTLE DIFFERENT GROWING UP.

BECAUSE NOT HAVING THE LANGUAGE GROWING UP, I WASN'T REALLY SURE WHAT WAS GOING ON UNTIL I WAS A BIT OLDER IN HIGH SCHOOL.

I JOINED THE U.S. AIR FORCE RESERVES AT 17 YEARS OLD RIGHT BEFORE I GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL.

I WAS IN THE MILITARY WHEN I WENT TO BASIC MILITARY TRAINING.

I MET SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES.

IT CLICKED FOR ME.

WHEN I WAS 19, I TOOK UPON TO GO TO GENDER THERAPY TO TALK TO A PROFESSIONAL.

IT DID.

ME AND MY MOM, WE TALKED ABOUT IT.

I STARTED HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY BEFORE I WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY.

>> MY GUESS IS THAT THE MILITARY WAS MORE ACCEPTING WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO THAN THE STATE OF MISSOURI IS?

>> YES.

I TALKED TO THE CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT OF MY UNIT BEFORE I HAD THE CONVERSATION WITH MY MOM.

I WAS SO AFRAID OF COULD HAPPEN.

THIS WAS 2018 UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF WOULD GET REMOVE.

PEOPLE IN MY UNIT WERE GREAT.

I WOULD GET A FEW QUESTIONS HERE AND THERE FROM PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T KNOW.

OTHER THAN THAT, I DIDN'T GET A LOT OF BACKLASH OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

MOST OF THE ISSUE I FOUND WAS THROUGH PAPERWORK AND THROUGH THEM NOT KNOWING HOW TO GO ABOUT WITH HAVING THE MEDICAL TRANSITION OF A TRANSGENDER PERSON.

>> YOUR SON IS A TRANSGENDER BOY, AT ONE POINT, YOU OBVIOUSLY WITH YOUR HUSBAND, HAD TO GO THROUGH A REAL DIFFICULT TIME THINKING, WHAT IS THE BEST THING FOR US TO DO IN OUR FAMILY?

HOW OLD IS YOUR SON RIGHT NOW?

>> MY SON IS 11 NOW.

HE TRANSITIONED WHEN HE WAS 7.

AS A PARENT, YOU GO THROUGH ALL THE QUESTIONS YOU CAN IMAGINE.

I THINK WHEN I THINK ABOUT ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE PUSHING BACK AGAINST THESE BILLS, THEY ARE CHALLENGING IT SAYING WE'RE FORCING OUR CHILDREN TO DO THIS.

THIS IS A KIND OF MIND MANIPULATION OR SOME WAY FOR ME TO GET ATTENTION.

WE'VE BEEN ACCUSED OF ALL KINDS OF THINGS.

THE REALITY IS, WHICH WAS THAT, WHEN OUR SON FIRST SAID THAT HE WAS A BOY, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANT.

WE HAD LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.

WE FELT REALLY LUCKY BECAUSE HE WAS YOUNG, THAT GAVE US TIME.

WE HAD A LOT OF TIME TO TALK TO THERAPISTS TO TALK TO PEDIATRICIANS AND TRANS ADULT.

I REMEMBER TEXTING ONE OF MY FRIENDS WHO WAS TRANS MEN.

WE KNEW NO MORE THAN WE DID THE DAY BEFORE ABOUT OUR 7-YEAR-OLD.

WE MADE THE DECISION TO DO, WE'RE GOING TO LOVE AND SUPPORT OUR CHILD.

AT SEVEN, LETTING HIM CUT HIS HAIR.

LETTING HIM BUY THE CLOTHES HE WANTED TO BUY.

CALLING HIM THE NAME THAT HE ASKED TO BE CALLED.

WE ASKED LOT OF QUESTIONS.

WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN FOR THE FUTURE.

I HAVE TWO OTHER CHILDREN.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS FOR THEIR FUTURE EITHER.

ONE DAY MY SON TELLS ME HE'S GOING TO BE IN THE OLYMPICS.

DO I KNOW THAT'S TRUE?

WE REALLY TRY TO SAY MORE THAN ANYTHING, IF WE TOLD OUR SON THAT WE DIDN'T BELIEVE WHO HE WAS, THAT IS WHAT WAS GOING TO DO MORE DAMAGE THAN ANY OF THESE BILLS TRYING TO STOP.

>> WOULD ANY OF THESE BILLS HALT THE MEDICAL CARE THAT YOUR SON IS RECEIVING NOW?

>> MY SON IS EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS.

WE'RE HAVING LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.

THESE BILLS WOULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATION ON THE CARE THAT HE'LL BE ABLE TO RECEIVE IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI.

>> ARE ALL THE BILLS MISGUIDED?

>> I FEEL LIKE ALL THE BILLS ARE MISGUIDED.

THERE IS AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE PEOPLE IN THE STATE THINK THAT TRANS PEOPLE ARE SOMETHING TO BE AFRAID OF AND SOMETHING TO BE SQUASHED DOWN UPON.

THIS IS AN IDEA THAT NEEDS TO BE ERADICATED IN MISSOURI.

YOU RAISED UP THE HEALTHCARE BILLS.

THERE'S BILLS TO BAN TRANS PEOPLE ON SPORTS ON THE TEAM THEY WANT TO PLAY ON.

THERE ARE CURRENTLY FIVE TRAN ATHLETES WHO ARE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BY THE MISSOURI STATE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION TO PLAY SPORTS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF BILLS THAT WILL IMPACT FIVE INDIVIDUALS IN THE STATE.

THERE'S BILLS OBAN DRAG PERFORMANCES.

THERE'S BILLS TO BAN TEACHERS FROM TALKING ABOUT GENDER OR SEXUALITY IN CLASS.

ALL OF THESE BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO FEEL LIKE THEIR WAY OF LIFE IS BEING THREATENED.

THE REALITY IS, THAT NONE OF THESE THING HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE ANYONE IS FORCING ANYONE TO DO IT.

NO ONE TELLING INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY ARE TRANS.

PEOPLE ARE.

ALL WE'RE DOING IN PASSING THESE BILLS IS ATTACKING AND MARGINALIZING A GROUP OF PEOPLE.

>> HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THE ARTICLE THAT CAME OUT I THINK IN EARLY FEBRUARY, WHERE AN INTAKE WORKER, CASE WORKER AT THE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, BJC, WROTE THIS WHISTLEBLOWERRING IN HER VIEW.

JAMIE REID.

SHE SAID THAT THERE'S NOT MUCH THERAPY FOR THE KIDS.

THEY ARE SENT TO A THERAPIST WHO'S GIVEN A TEMPLATE TO SIGN OFF ON AND IT'S KIND OF PRO FORMA.

IT'S NOT VERY INTENSE OR IN-DEPTH.

SOME OF THE KIDS, THEY ARE HAVING BUYER'S REMORSE.

THEY'VE UNDERGONE MASTECTOMIES OR CHANGED THEIR MIND OR HAD MILLIOMEDICAL CONSEQUENCES.

IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THERE ARE SOME KIDS WHO ARE NOT GOING THROUGH THE SYSTEM VERY WELL?

THIS JAI JAIME REID WAS CORRECT?

>> AFTER THE REPORT CAME OUT, ABSOLUTELY NO FAMILIES HAVE COME FORWARD IN ST. LOUIS TO BACK UP ANY OF HER ALLEGATIONS.

SHE TELLS STORIES ABOUT FAMILIES BUT NONE OF THOSE FAMILIES HAVE GONE PUBLIC WITH IT.

INSTEAD, WE'VE SEEN DOZENS AND DOZENS OF FAMILIES WHO HAVE RECEIVED TREATMENT THROUGH THE GENDER TREATMENT AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY COUNTER EVERY ONE OF THOSE CLAIMS.

I KNEW JAMIE REID.

I SPOKE TO HER WHEN MY SON EXPRESSED THAT HE WAS A BOY.

I CALLED THE CLINIC.

WE TALKED ABOUT GETTING A LIST OF THERAPISTS.

IT WAS MADE CLEAR THAT IN THE FUTURE, SHOULD WE DECIDE TO PURSUE MEDICAL TRANSITION THAT NONE OF THIS WOULD HAPPEN WITHOUT PARENTAL APPROVAL, PEDIATRICIAN'S APPROVAL AND ENDOCRINOLOGIST AND A CERTIFIED THERAPIST.

WHEN WE STARTED MY SON WITH A THERAPIST, WHICH WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT HE WAS TALKING THAT THROUGH WITH EVERYONE, HE WAS GOING TO WEEKLY APPOINTMENTS.

THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WAS PRO FORMA OR SPED THROUGH AND NOBODY WHO WAS PUSHING US IN ANY DIRECTION IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

>> WITHOUT THAT SITUATION, PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE A TRANS CHILD.

HAVE YOU HEARD FROM THEM SAYING, LIKE WHAT IS GOING ON IN THIS STATE IS UNACCEPTABLE.

I REALLY DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT YOUR SITUATION.

I DO KNOW WHEN SOMETHING IS RIGHT OR WRONG.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE IT'S A SUBJECT OF THE MISSOURI POPULATION.

WHATEVER, I DON'T THINK WHAT'S GOING ON IS RIGHT.

ARE THEY REACHING OUT AND GETTING INVOLVED WITH YOUR ADVOCACY?

>> I DEFINITELY HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN.

ESPECIALLY AS I'VE KIND OF PUT MYSELF FORWARD AS SOMEONE WHO HAS QUESTIONS TO COME TALK TO ME.

NOT ALL TRANSGENDER PEOPLE WANT TO BE THAT PERSON WHO HAS TO EXPLAIN TO SOMEONE WHO THEY ARE, WHY THEY ARE DOING THIS.

THEY WANT TO LIVE.

I DEFINITELY HAVE HAD PEOPLE WHO HAVE ASKED ME, IF WE'RE DOING OKAY.

IT'S SO UPSETTING TO SEE THESE PEOPLE ACTIVELY TRYING TO PUT DOWN A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE.

>> BEFORE YOU TRANSITION, ELLIOTT, WHO WAS YOUR LIFE LIKE.

YOUR MENTAL STATE AND MENTAL HEALTH?

>> I THINK THAT BEING TRANSGENDER HAS NEVER BEEN LIKE THE WORSE THING OF MY LIFE.

IT'S NEVER BEEN AWFUL FOR ME.

WHEN I THINK THAT BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO GET THE HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY THAT I NEEDED, I WAS VERY CONFUSED AND I DID HAVE SOME DEPRESSION OF JUST FEELING OFF.

TALKING TO A LOT OF CISGENDER PEOPLE.

IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT THIS FEELING.

I REMEMBER WHEN I FINALLY I WAS SEEING THE TECH OF MY H.R.T.

I FELT LIKE IT WAS LIKE TILTED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

>> WHAT AGE?

>> I STARTED H.R.T.

AT 19.

AS I KIND OF MOVED FORWARD, ALSO JUST THE MOMENT THAT I UNDERSTOOD AND HAD THE LANGUAGE FOR WHAT WAS GOING ON, THAT WAS A MOMENT.

I THINK WHEN I WAS MAY BE 18 OR 17, THAT'S WHEN I WAS FINALLY UNDERSTANDING THE LANGUAGE FOR WHAT I WAS FEELING.

>> ADVOCATES FOR TRANSGENDER RIGHTS OFTEN SAY THAT THIS IS A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE.

IF CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS DON'T GET GENDER AFFIRMING FAIR, THEY'RE AT RISK OF 1 SUICIDE AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS THE REST OF US MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT.

>> IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER GENDER AFFIRMING CARE IS HEALTHCARE.

IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE US HAVING THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT ANY OTHER FORM OF HEALTHCARE.

THAT'S WHAT I ALSO HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE SHOCKED BY THIS WHO ARE NOT DIRECTLY IMPACTED.

THEY ARE HORRIFIED THAT THE LEGISLATURE COULD SAY THAT IF YOU CONSULT WITH A TEAM OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AND THEY RECOMMEND A COURSE OF MEDICAL TREATMENT, THAT THE GOVERNMENT COULD STEP IN AND SAY, NO, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT.

THESE ARE MEDICAL TREATMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY MEDICAL BOARDS.

I'M NOT A DOCTOR, I WILL NOT QUOTE ALL THE PROCESSES FOR SOMETHING TO BECOME APPROVED MEDICAL CARE.

THAT'S NOT A LIGHT HEARTED PROCESS.

WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE.

ANY OTHER FORMFUL MEDICAL CARE, IF YOU WERE DENIED ACCESS TO IT, WOULD HAVE HUGE IMPLICATIONS ON YOUR MENTAL HEALTH, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY FOR THE FACT THERE'S TREATMENT YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT YOU NEED.

THEN A GOVERNMENT TELL YOU THAT THEY ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH YOU RECEIVING IT.

>> THAT SEEMS KIND OF IMPOSSIBLE, IN THAT, TO PASS THIS LAW, IS THIS LAW LEGAL?

COULD THIS BE CHALLENGED?

WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP?

THEY ARE DOING ALL KIND OF THINGS IN JEFFERSON CITY THAT MAKES NO SENSE.

THERE ARE OTHER BODIES -- GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.

WE'RE GOING TO SUE.

WE'RE GOING TO WIN.

IS THAT YOUR NEXT STEP?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY IN THAT.

I THINK THERE ARE GROUPS THAT ARE LOOKING INTO WHAT THE NEXT STEPS WOULD BE.

THAT'S NOT THE POINT WE WANT TO GET TO.

THEY'RE GOING TO PASS SOMETHING IN JEFFERSON CITY.

THE REALITY IS, WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO WAIT WHILE THE LAWYERS SORT THAT OUT.

REAL PEOPLE ARE BEING HURT NOW.

THE VERY FACT THAT SOME OF THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE IN THE STATE ARE DISCUSSING THIS ISSUE AND DECIDING THAT THIS IS A POLITICAL MANEUVER THAT ADVANCES THEIR POLITICAL CAREER, IT'S ALREADY HARMING PEOPLE.

>> THIS IS JUST MORE ABOUT GETTING VOTES AND POLITICS.

YOU THINK IT'S CONCERN OR CARE?

>> I THINK THERE'S A FEW PEOPLE WHO THINK THEY ARE GENUINELY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS.

THERE'S A OVERWHELMING NUMB OF PEOPLE WHO RECOGNIZE IF THEY CAN CONVINCE GROUP OF PEOPLE AND SHOW THEY ARE FIGHTING IT, THEY COULD EARN POLITICAL POINTS.

THEY DECIDED THAT THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY IS AN EASY COMMUNITY TO PICK ON NOW.

THAT'S UP TO US TO SAY, WE WON'T STAND FOR IT.

>> I READ IN THE "NEW YORK TIMES," A STORY ABOUT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

THAT YOUR HUSBAND HAS BEEN LOOKING AT REAL ESTATE IN ILLINOIS.

>> IT'S NO A -- IT'S NOT A JOKE.

WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY SPECIFIC PLANS.

MY PRIORITY IS TO PROTECT MY CHILD.

THAT'S WHAT'S PAINFUL ABOUT THE ACCUSATIONS.

THE IDEA I WOULD NOT DO EVERYTHING WITHIN MY POWER TO PROTECT MY CHILD.

IF THIS STATE BECOMES UNSAFE FOR MY CHILD AND MY FAMILY, THEN WE MIGHT BE LEFT WITH NO CHOICE BUT TO LOOK ELSEWHERE.

>> THEY SAY THE HUMAN BRAIN ISN'T DEVELOPED UNTIL 26.

ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT SOME OF THE LIFE-CHANGING DECISIONS MADE BY A YOUNG PERSON ARE A LITTLE TOO EARLY?

SOMETIMES A TEENAGER, SOMEONE WHO'S 10 OR 11, DOESN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR HIM OR HER.

HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO PEOPLE WHO RAISE THAT QUESTION?

>> THAT'S WHY WE WANT PUBERTY BLOCKERS.

IT BUYS TIME.

I DON'T WANT TO BE THINKING ABOUT 12-YEAR-OLD AND MY 13-YEAR-OLD MAKING DECISION ABOUT HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THE FULL IMPACT.

IT WILL IMPACT HIS LIFE NOT MINE.

PUBERTY BLOCKERS MEANS WE CAN DELAY PUBERTY SO HE DOESN'T NEED SURGERY.

WE MEAN TRANSGENDER GIRLS HAVING FACIAL HAIR AND TRANSGENDER BOYS NOT DEVELOPING BREASTS.

IF OUR KIDS AREN'T ALLOWED TO STOP THAT PUBERTY, THOSE CHILDREN DO NEED THE CHILDREN THAT IS MORE LIFE ENDANGERING.

I FIND IT INTERESTING, THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THOSE CONCERNS ARE ALSO TRYING TO STOP PUBERTY BLOCKERS WHICH GIVE US THAT OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW OUR KIDS TO MAKE THAT DECISION WHEN THEY ARE OLDER.

>> YOU BROUGHT UP THE AGE.

THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, EDUCATION, HAS IT INTERRUPTED FOR YOUR SON?

HOW IS THE SCHOOL REACTED TO THE DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE?

>> SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN SUPPORTIVE.

REALLY, EVERYBODY IN OUR LIFE HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE.

OTHER THAN THE MISSOURI STATE LEGISLATURE.

I SAID REPEATEDLY WHEN I TESTIFIED, THEY ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO TOLD MY SON THAT HE IS NOT LOVED, EMBRACED, NORMAL, NO ONE ELSE IN HIS LIFE SAID THAT.

HIS SCHOOL HAS NOT ONLY BEEN GREAT ABOUT GIVING HIM EXCUSED THE ABSENCES AS HE TRAVELED TO JEFFERSON CITY TO TESTIFY AGAINST THESE BILLS.

THE ADMINISTRATION COMMITTED THAT EVERY TIME EVERY TIME THE BILL COME UP, SOMEBODY FROM THE ADMINISTRATION WILL BE THERE TO TESTIFY.

THEY HAVE BEEN SENDING PEOPLE WITHOUT REQUIRING THEM TO USE VACATION DAYS TO JOIN IN THE TESTIMONY.

>> I CAN SPEAK TO THE AGE 25.

I WAS ABLE TO JOIN THE U.S. MILITARY AT 17 WITH THE HELP OF MY MOM AND RECRUITERS.

I WAS ABLE TO GENERAL H.R.T.

AT AND 19 WITH MY MOM AND A DOCTOR.

IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS THAT WE'RE ALLOWING YOUNG PEOPLE TO MAKE CHOICES SUCH AS TO JOIN THE MILITARY WITH THE HELP OF THEIR PARENT.

I THINK THAT SHOULD REMAIN THE CRITERIA.

>> ONE OF THE ALLEGATIONS MADE BY JAMIE REED WAS THAT BJC DOESN'T FOLLOW-UP ON THOSE WHO TRANSITIONED.

DOESN'T KNOW WHEN PEOPLE ARE HAVING PROBLEMS OR SECOND THOUGHTS.

WHAT'S YOUR EXPERIENCE BEEN?

>> I DIDN'T GO TO THAT CLINIC.

I KNOW THAT I GET BLOOD WORK DONE EVERY THREE MONTHS.

I HAD FOR THE FIVE YEARS SINCE I STARTED.

THAT WILL MAINTAIN UNTIL DECIDE TO STOP OR MAY BE GET OLD ENOUGH THAT I DON'T NEED TO ANYMORE.

I HAVE HAD THE BEST EXPERIENCE WITH GOING THROUGH MY HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY.

I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

I HAVE HAD NO ADVERSE SIDE EFFECTS.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT SUPER -- WE DON'T HAVE LOT OF LONG-TERM STUDIES.

LOT OF THIS STUFF IT'S NEW.

WE'RE STILL LEARNING.

I THINK IT'S REALLY AWESOME ABOUT HOW AMAZING THESE PROFESSIONALS ARE AND THESE DOCTORS.

THEY ARE DOING THEIR JOB.

THEY WANT THESE PEOPLE TO BE HEALTHY AND HAPPY.

>> DO THEY FOLLOW UP ON YOUR MENTAL STATE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> ARE YOU SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH YOUNG PEOPLE?

>> YES, AS MUCH AS I CAN.

I HAVE A LITTLE SISTER WHO'S IN HIGH SCHOOL.

THERE'S A LOT OF HER FRIENDS WHO IT'S KIND OF WEIRD BEING THAT ROLE MODEL.

I DIDN'T KNOW ANY OTHER TRANSGENDER PEOPLE.

IT'S COOL TO BE THAT PERSON FOR THEM.

>> HOW IS IT SOCIALLY WHEN PEOPLE MEET ELLIOTT LAWRENCE, THEY FIND OUT YOUR STORY.

DOES IT CHANGE THEIR VIEWS?

>> IT DEPENDS ON THE PERSON.

TYPICALLY, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN IN TRANSITION FOR NEARLY FIVE YEARS, LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT I MEET, THEY KNOW ME AS ME.

WHEN I TRANSITION IN THE MILITARY, I HAD LOT OF PEOPLE WHO KNEW ME BEFORE MY TRANSITION.

I TRANSITIONED RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY SIX-YEAR CONTRACT.

SOMETIMES IT WAS STRANGE FOR PEOPLE TO KIND OF REALIZE PEOPLE'S BIAS OR PREJUDICES AFTER THEY'VE MET ME.

AFTER THEY GOT TO KNOW ME AS A PERSON.

LUCKILY I HAVEN'T HAD THAT EXPERIENCE VERY OFTEN.

MOST OF THE TIME, WHEN I DO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT I'M TRANSGENDER, THEY NEVER MET A TRANSGENDER PERSON.

>> YOU WORK AT THE ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY.

YOU CONSIDERED MOVED TO ILLINOIS?

>> I'M NOT YET CONSIDERING MOVING TO ILLINOIS.

WE'LL SEE HOW THINGS GO.

>> RORY, HOW MANY TIMES YOU BEEN TO JEFFERSON CITY TESTIFYING?

>> I LOST COUNT.

THIS YEAR, WE DID A MARATHON TESTIMONY.

THEY HAD NINE BILLS ONE NIGHT, THEY WENT TO 1:00 A.M. AT THE VERY BEGINNING.

THAT'S HOW WE STARTED OFF THIS YEAR.

I'VE BEEN GONG TO LOBBY DAYS.

WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR FOUR YEARS NOW.

AS SOON AS MY SON TRANSITIONED, THE NEXT YEAR WE STARTED GOING TO JEFFERSON CITY.

>> THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR FOUR YEARS?

I DID NOT REALIZE THAT BILLS FILED THAT FAR BACK.

>> IT'S BEEN LONGER THAN FOUR YEARS.

THE FORMS WE'RE SEEING OF THE HEALTHCARE AND SPORTS BILL, THOSE HAVE BEEN GOING FOR FOUR YEARS HERE IN MISSOURI.

THAT'S A NEW ITERATION WE'VE SEEN BEFORE.

WITH THE BATHROOM BILL.

ALL OF THOSE ARE COUCHED IN THESE SEEMINGLY WAYS TO TELL PEOPLE THAT TRANS PEOPLE ARE WRONG.

>> SAME PLAYERS?

JEFFERSON CITY, FOR THE MOST PART?

>> SOME OF THE SEATS CHANGE OVER AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

LOT OF IT IS REALLY LARGER INTEREST GROUPS THAT ARE GIVING THESE PEOPLE THESE BILLS.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US ON "NEXT UP."

ELLIOTT LAWRENCE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US AS WELL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEK.

* >> "DONNYBROOK" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY SUPPORTER OF THE BETSY AND THOMAS PATTERSON FOUNDATION AND MEMBERS OF 9 PBS.