PrideVMC Statement on Kansas Law SB 244
Pride Veterinary Medical Community is appalled by the dehumanizing actions taken by the state of Kansas that target transgender people and seek to erase their identities from public life.
These policies do not exist in the abstract. They affect real people in our profession. Transgender individuals are veterinary students, technicians, assistants, veterinarians, educators, and researchers. They are our colleagues and our friends. They are people who dedicate their lives to caring for animals and supporting the communities they serve.
Kansas’s attempt to invalidate legally updated driver’s licenses is particularly alarming. Identification documents are fundamental to everyday life. They are required to drive to work, travel to conferences, apply for jobs, verify employment, access housing, vote, and obtain healthcare. Policies that force transgender people to carry identification that does not match who they are place them at increased risk of harassment, discrimination, and harm while simply trying to participate in daily life.
Access to accurate identification is not a political issue. It is a basic requirement for safety, dignity, and participation in society. When the government undermines a person’s ability to carry identification that reflects who they are, it creates barriers to employment, healthcare, mobility, and civic participation.
Laws that invalidate a person’s identity and restrict their ability to safely move through public spaces are not about safety or fairness. They are about exclusion. They send a message to transgender people that their existence is something to be regulated, questioned, and punished.
That message is unacceptable.
Veterinary medicine is built on compassion, respect, and care for the wellbeing of others. Policies that target transgender individuals stand in direct opposition to those values and threaten the safety and dignity of members of our profession.
To our transgender colleagues in Kansas and across the veterinary community: you are not alone. You belong in this profession exactly as you are. Your presence, your work, and your humanity matter.
PrideVMC will continue to advocate for a profession where LGBTQ+ veterinary professionals can live and work openly, safely, and with dignity. In response to the challenges created by these policies, PrideVMC is also working to establish a mutual aid and support fund to assist veterinary professionals in Kansas who may need access to alternative transportation options, including public or private transportation, in order to safely travel to work, access healthcare, or meet essential daily needs during this time.
To support our community and provide space for connection and information sharing, PrideVMC will also be hosting a virtual community support town hall.
Date: Wednesday March 11, 2026
Time: 5pm PDT/8pm EDT
Moments like this remind us why community matters. PrideVMC exists to ensure that no one in veterinary medicine has to face these challenges alone. Veterinary professionals cannot provide compassionate care to their communities if members of our profession are denied the ability to live and move safely within them.
