by Abdullah Al-Awhad, the University Daily Kansan – July 19, 2023

The Lawrence City Commission voted 5-0 for an ordinance that makes the city a haven for transgender people to protect against the implications of SB 180.

Since SB 180 was enacted, some transgender people in Kansas have been rushing to get their birth certificates changed and their licenses issued before the law bans state agencies from listing any gender on documentation besides the sex assigned at birth. 

SB 180 enables law enforcement to restrict the ability of transgender people to use bathrooms that do not match their sex assigned at birth, and it defines intersex people as “disabled.” 

Governor Laura Kelly had vetoed the bill initially, but the Kansas House and the Kansas Senate both voted to override Kelly’s veto, making the bill into law. 

Then, the ordinance came in light of pressure from local activists to protect the transgender community in Lawrence. 

Isaac Johnson, a trans man who’s part of a group named “No SB 180,” criticized how the bill was falsely named “Kansas Women’s Bill of Rights” although it doesn’t contain any protections for women. 

“It is imperative for us as a community to practically protect transgender people against injustice,” Johnson said. “SB 180 only robs people of our rights.” 

Bart Littlejohn, the vice-mayor, said he was in full support of the ordinance. 

“I think it goes a long way to letting people know who Lawrence is and what Lawrence believes in,” Littlejohn said. 

Justice Horn, who drafted the ordinance that made Kansas City a sanctuary for transgender people, spoke to the City Commission to express his support for Ordinance 9999.

“I think our cities and our counties need to be at the forefront of that fight,” Horn said. “We have a lot of folks that go to school in Lawrence. To be frank, I went to UMKC, and I’m getting a master’s and a Ph.D. there. I decided not to go to KU because I didn’t feel it was a welcoming community.” 

Toni Wheeler, city attorney, said she was working on updating language and definitions in Chapter X, a policy that the City of Lawrence had enacted several years ago to protect its residents against discrimination in employment, housing and city services. 

“Ordinance 9999 is a nice supplement, but there are already many protections that we have in our local law that are not found at the state level and certainly are not found in other Kansas communities,” Wheeler said. 

Lisa Larson, mayor of Lawrence, said she was proud that the city was able to draft the ordinance and respond quickly to SB 180.

“I want to say that it just makes me really sad that we have to do this because people just want to live their lives and be left alone, and we’ve got a state government that seems to think otherwise, ” Larson said. “SB 180 is nothing but fear and confusion. That’s all it is.”