The South Carolina Senate recently approved a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors, with a vote of 27-8 in favor. The bill prohibits health professionals from performing gender-transition surgeries, prescribing puberty blockers, and overseeing hormone treatments for patients under 18. Additionally, school principals or vice principals would have to notify parents or guardians if a child wanted to use a different name or pronouns that did not match their sex assigned at birth. The bill also prevents the use of Medicaid to cover the costs of gender-affirming care.
The Senate debate on the bill was heated, with Republican Sen. Richard Cash emphasizing the natural order of creation as male and female. Opponents of the bill argued that children should be allowed to express themselves as they wish and that government intervention in such personal decisions is unnecessary. The bill also faced amendments, allowing mental health counselors to discuss banned treatments and doctors to prescribe puberty blockers for specific conditions. Despite efforts to only ban irreversible treatments, supporters of the bill were wary of who would decide what treatments fell under that category.
Doctors and parents testified about the necessity of gender-affirming care for young transgender individuals, stating that such treatments are life-saving and allow for a more fulfilling life. On the other hand, supporters of the bill cited their own evidence that puberty blockers can increase self-harm and have irreversible effects. The invocation of religion by supporters of the bill caused frustration among some senators, with Democratic Sen. Tameika Isaac Devine expressing the need for empathy and understanding for families going through such scenarios.
If the bill is signed by the governor, South Carolina would become the 25th state to restrict or ban gender-affirming care for minors. Republican Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey initially expressed a focus on social issues this year, leading to the passage of the bill. Republican Sen. Danny Verdin highlighted the public support for the ban and suggested that it may become a significant issue in the upcoming elections. The bill’s impact on the LGBTQ+ community and the rights of transgender individuals in South Carolina remains a contentious issue as it moves forward.
