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A spokesperson for Missouri’s Whiteman Air Force Base says no suspensions of transgender service members are being processed due to a memorandum sent out April 2 by the Department of Defense. -
Sherrill is a bisexual, nonbinary Missourian in their mid-20s who describes themself as an “avid geek.” They’ve been playing Dungeons & Dragons for years and spoke about how the fantasy tabletop role-playing game helped them find acceptance and a truer understanding of themself. -
The bill's sponsor says it was inspired by a lawsuit filed by a transgender student in Blue Springs School District. -
The bill's sponsors say they want to protect children, but those in opposition say the bills hurt more than help. -
![Willow Wilson sits on a chair in her living room on Friday, April 5, 2024, at her apartment in Columbia. When Wilson was selecting her name, she said she originally had nearly 100 names to choose from on a Word document. For a while, Wilson said she almost committed to the name “Rumor” because it had a “cool, sultry” and “femme fatale” feel. “But I eventually settled on the Willow just because I think Willow Wilson is such a distinctive name,” Wilson said. “It's kind of like [a] Peter Parker, Clark Kent kind of vibe. … Not to sound too egotistical, but that is a very main character name, and I kind of liked that. And I liked that it was very earthy and crunchy and kind of, you know, hippie, a little bit. So, I think Willow was kind of like, where I was like, ‘Yeah, I like that: Willow Wilson.’ That definitely sounds like a lady who's about town and making the most of her life.”](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a50fa5a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1750x975+0+0/resize/280x156!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F41%2F05%2F730cbb9e4211a4e6e37f185c7caf%2F20240405-bas-queer-joy-willow-wilson-0019.jpg)
Willow Wilson is a transgender woman in her mid-20s and spoke about the process of learning and unlearning how to be a woman during her transition. -
Although a judge last week upheld a 2023 state law banning some gender-transition medical care for minors, Republican lawmakers signaled Monday they aren’t done pushing for laws affecting transgender Missourians. -
Nathan Gilbert is a 20-year-old college junior at the University of Missouri. He's also a bisexual transgender man who spoke about the “really long time” it's taken him to embrace and celebrate his entire identity. -
Dani Emma Devine and Cheryl Barbero are girlfriends in their mid-60s – both of whom came out later in life. Dani is a transgender lesbian and Cheryl is pansexual. A few years ago, Cheryl says she nearly gave up on dating all together - but then she met Dani. They spoke about how a mix of love and laughter keeps them young. -
A new policy by the Missouri Department of Revenue says Missourians must show proof of gender affirming surgery or a court order to change gender markers on a state ID. -
Olivia Wood is a non-binary college student who falls “somewhere on the queer spectrum.” They spoke about growing up in a rural area, and how going away to college has helped them grow and better understand their gender beyond the binary.
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![Willow Wilson sits on a chair in her living room on Friday, April 5, 2024, at her apartment in Columbia. When Wilson was selecting her name, she said she originally had nearly 100 names to choose from on a Word document. For a while, Wilson said she almost committed to the name “Rumor” because it had a “cool, sultry” and “femme fatale” feel. “But I eventually settled on the Willow just because I think Willow Wilson is such a distinctive name,” Wilson said. “It's kind of like [a] Peter Parker, Clark Kent kind of vibe. … Not to sound too egotistical, but that is a very main character name, and I kind of liked that. And I liked that it was very earthy and crunchy and kind of, you know, hippie, a little bit. So, I think Willow was kind of like, where I was like, ‘Yeah, I like that: Willow Wilson.’ That definitely sounds like a lady who's about town and making the most of her life.”](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/bcc3008/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1750x975+0+0/resize/560x312!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F41%2F05%2F730cbb9e4211a4e6e37f185c7caf%2F20240405-bas-queer-joy-willow-wilson-0019.jpg)
